"Dream come true" - de Minaur on beating Nadal in United Cup
ATP
Alex de Minaur defeated Rafael Nadal at the 2023 United Cup, and he was very proud of the win.
Beating any of the Big Three is a significant achievement. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer have dominated the sport in the past two decades, and they often stopped many great players from having a successful run.
Now, De Minaur was able to end his winless record against these players. He beat Nadal 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 at the 2023 United Cup, and he was extremely happy afterward.
He didn't just beat Nadal. He beat the Spanish legend on his home soil in front of his home fans and even on his favorite court, which is the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.
"I couldn’t be happier that I managed to get my first win over Rafa on this court (Ken Rosewall Arena). There is no secret that it is my favorite court in the entire world."
The match was a proper battle, and like many of Nadal's matches, it got close to a three-hour mark. De Minaur knew what to expect, so he was ready to battle it out against the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
"I knew it was going to be a battle. Rafa is a hell of a competitor and what he’s been able to do for this sport is truly astounding. I’m just honored, and it’s a dream come true to be able to beat him on the court. I’m very happy with that."
De Minaur now hopes that this win will motivate him to do even better during the remainder of his matches in Australia. He will hope to translate this result into success at the Australian Open.
"I can’t wait for the Aussie summer, it’s the best time of the year. Hopefully, I can do Australia proud and play some good tennis over the coming weeks."
