Alex de Minaur defeated Rei Sakamoto 7-6, 6-4 in the third round of the Shanghai Masters. The ninth-seeded Australian overcame the Japanese qualifier in a hard-fought match to advance to the round of 16. For Sakamoto, it brought an end to a remarkable run through qualifying and into the main draw.
De Minaur holds his nerve in the tiebreak
The first set developed into a tight contest on the outdoor hard courts, with neither player able to establish a clear edge. De Minaur had to weather a composed and aggressive performance from Rei Sakamoto, who carried considerable confidence into the match following his victory over Andrey Rublev.
The set was ultimately settled in the tiebreak. De Minaur kept a cooler head when it mattered most, taking it 7-6. Sakamoto stayed in contention until the final point but could not convert, leaving De Minaur with a crucial foundation for the match — even if he had not managed to pull decisively clear in the opening set.
Australian takes the reins in the second set
De Minaur was more purposeful from the outset of the second set, applying pressure on Sakamoto earlier and finding better answers to his opponent's flat ball-striking from the baseline. Sakamoto pushed back initially, but gradually had to cede the upper hand.
De Minaur closed out the second set 6-4, drawing on his experience to see out the lead when it counted. Sakamoto was unable to fully recapture the rhythm of the first set, though he remained competitive until the end.
Statistics reflect De Minaur's solidity
The match numbers underlined the winner's dominance on serve in particular. De Minaur held every service game and won 80 per cent of points on his serve overall. On his first serve, he won 92 per cent of points, leaving Sakamoto with precious few opportunities on return.
The error count also told a clear story. De Minaur produced just 12 unforced errors, while Sakamoto racked up 40. The Japanese player struck 13 aces and hit 31 winners, but was unable to translate those numbers into meaningful pressure on the De Minaur serve.
A win with added context
The match marked the first meeting between Alex de Minaur and Rei Sakamoto on the ATP Tour. Sakamoto had come through qualifying and made headlines with his win over Rublev, demonstrating the continued progress of the 20-year-old Japanese talent — though he could not overcome a seeded top player this time around.
De Minaur arrived in Shanghai with the benefit of extra rest. A first-round bye followed by a walkover against Molcan meant he had more recovery time available than most. He had also reached the quarterfinal in Shanghai the previous year. The win over Sakamoto now sees him back in the latter stages of the tournament once again.
