AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 13, 2021

Alex De Minaur

Press Conference

F. FOGNINI/A. de Minaur

6-4, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Bad luck on today's results. Just talk through the match from your perspective tonight.

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, look, it's obviously not, you know, the result I wanted going in. I think Fabio played a very high-level match throughout the whole entire match.

Look, he was too good for me today.

Q. I suppose Fabio has had lots of good wins, big wins, claimed Masters titles before. What were you trying to attack tonight? What was your approach to playing him?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, look, there was a couple of different approaches that I had to try and navigate through the whole match, because, you know, I thought in my eyes he was playing at a very high level and not giving a lot. I felt like we were going to try and expose his movements a little bit, but he was hitting some pretty good end-range shots.

And then I couldn't be too passive on the rallies because he was stepping in and dictating from the get-go.

So, look, I'll have to go back with my coach and team and look how we could have confronted that match differently, because probably what I did today wasn't it.

Q. Fabio is saying that not having the crowd there sort of played into his hands a bit. Did you feel you missed out on an advantage by not having them there?

ALEX de MINAUR: Look, it's no secret that I would have loved to play in front of my home crowd, but there's bigger situations at the moment, and, you know, it's not something that I have a say on. You know, the safety always comes first.

So it is unfortunate that, you know, you start the tournament with the fans and then halfway through due to what's happened we had to get rid of them.

But, look, I think he played a very high-level match today, and he was too good.

Q. Spend a few days just to reassess plans in the short term?

ALEX de MINAUR: That's a good question. I'm sure tomorrow I'll have a nice sit-down with Coach and we'll see what the next plans are.

I think right now if we talk anything, it's probably not gonna be too good in the heat of the moment. So I'll have to sleep on it and then tomorrow we'll come out with a game plan. Because, look, at the end of the day it's still February. I mean, we've got a long year ahead.

Q. You say it's no point sitting down tonight and talking about it because there will be a bit of heat. Would that be more from you because of your frustration and disappointment, more from your coach saying maybe you should have done that, maybe you should have done the other?

ALEX de MINAUR: No, I think we'll definitely talk about the match. That's gonna happen.

And, yes, it might get heated in the sense out of my frustration. I mean, I don't like going out there and feeling like there's not much I can do. You know, it's not a good feeling.

So gotta look at things to improve, things to work on. I mean, like I've done my whole career. Same as there's no point sitting and trying to sort out what's next straightaway, because, you know, we've got time.

I'll do that tomorrow. We'll have a chat. We'll see what plans are. If we stay here for a couple days, if we fly out, all of that. We'll have to wait and see.

Q. I appreciate you don't give in when you're in a match, but was there a stage in this match where you felt this is not gonna be my night?

ALEX de MINAUR: Look, it's one of those matches that you're out there, you're leaving it all out there, you're doing everything you can, but you can just feel like he's playing at another level. You're kind of just hanging in there, and, I mean, it's tough.

It's good to, in a way, have these matches, because I can now sit down and see what I need to improve on. I mean, it's a constant, constant journey of improvement, and I'm not satisfied where I am. I want to not come and make third round of a slam and be content about it.

You know, I want to be pushing deep in slams and pushing second weeks. Look, today wasn't the day, but I'll have more chances and I'll definitely learn from this.