De Minaur trumps Cincinnati kid in Sweden

Alex de Minaur has trumped rising Cincinnati kid JJ Wolf, looking the real deal while racing into a sixth ATP quarter-final of the season at the Stockholm Open.

The Sydneysider looked to be back to his lightning best as he carved out a 6-4 6-2 victory over Wolf, who came into Thursday’s match buoyant after reaching his first ATP final at the Firenze Open last week.

Seeking the sort of rich form he hopes can spearhead his country’s challenge in next month’s Davis Cup finals in Spain, de Minaur, fresh from earning his 150th Tour-level win over Benjamin Bonzi in the opening round, quickly overcame a false start to down the world No.56 Wolf.

Two-nil down, No.5 seed de Minaur instantly earned the break back and then cracked the big-hitting Wolf’s delivery again, this time to love, in the seventh game.

Sealing the opening stanza proved the only problem for the Australian No.2 as he had to rescue three break points while serving for the set.

Once he had nailed that, another swift break at the beginning of the second proved his platform to a straightforward victory in an hour and 23 minutes and a quarter-final with 2019 Stockholm Open winner Denis Shapovalov.

De Minaur, currently at 23 on the computer, would regain his long-held Australian No.1 spot from Nick Kyrgios, currently No.20 in the world, if he can enjoy his second tournament triumph of the year in Stockholm’s Royal Tennis Hall following his victory in Atlanta in July.

But an in-form Shapovalov, a recent finalist in Seoul and coming off a good run to the Tokyo semis last week, represents a considerable hurdle in Friday’s last-eight even if de Minaur does enjoy a fine record against the Canadian southpaw.

The Aussie has won all three of their tour-level encounters – all on hard courts – although each one was a close affair.

The winner of their duel will then face either teenage Dane Holger Rune or Britain’s No.1 Cameron Norrie in the semis.