Toronto continues to be a happy hunting ground for Alex de Minaur, advancing to the last eight

Alex de Minaur extends his winning streak (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

A blistering start, challenged and holding his nerve under pressure has seen Alex de Minaur extend his winning streak to seven matches and reach his fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final, ironically both in Toronto defeating Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

It was two years ago that the 26-year-old Aussie was a finalist to Jannik Sinner here. Coming into today he was 1-4 in the Round 16 at 1000 level on an outdoor hardcourt and in the end he really had to earn this victory with his trademark competitivness.

The 2025 field is wide open with no Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic or Draper and with some genuine momentum a chance at least to maybe emulate 2023 and feature in the decider.

De Minaur has now earned 37 wins in 2025. The Aussie recorded a career-best 47 wins in 2024 and 2022 and 46 victories in 2023.

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The start was red hot, a whitewash really. However, from a set and a break down, Tiafoe cranked up the forehand, levelling the match with his first set point.

The deciding third set would see de Minaur save two break points at 3-3 and then gain the crucial break in the ninth game, winning one of the points of the match at 4-4, 40-40, before serving out to triumph just shy of two and a half hours.

"It was never going to be easy and Frances has the ability to turn the switch on whenever he wants, so it is always very tricky to put him away," de Minaur said. "I think I battled him, myself and the conditions and I am happy to sneak away with a win today."

Play USA with Lachlan Puyol goes inside the journey of many Aussies going down the college pathway as entry point to professional tennis – The First Serve Podcasts.

The demon is up two spots to sixth in the ATP Live Race to Turin, has now won his past seven matches after winning the title at the ATP 500 event in Washington last week and has equalled Pat Rafter for the second most tour-level hard-court wins among Australian men in the Open era (212). Lleyton Hewitt leads the way on 372.

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