Alex de Minaur is proving a leader in more ways than one this season.

While he leads a crop of eight Australian men inside the world’s top 100, De Minaur is also confidently leading the field as the No.1 seed at the Libema Open.

With a 7-5 6-2 win over Milos Raonic, the 2016 men’s singles finalist, the Australian moved into his third ATP-level semifinal this year.

It is a 24th ATP-level semifinal in total for De Minaur, and his fifth at a grass-court tournament.

Arriving in the Dutch city on the back of his career-best quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, De Minaur has transitioned superbly from clay courts to grass.

His win over Raonic, achieved in one hour and 26 minutes, followed a straight-sets win over Belgium’s Zizou Bergs.

Victory over big-serving Canadian Raonic was his second of the 2024 season, with De Minaur also advancing when an injured Raonic was forced to withdraw from their second-round match at the Australian Open.

Final Four Calling De Minaur! @alexdeminaur takes out Raonic 7-5 6-2 to reach the semi-finals#LibemaOpen #LO2024 pic.twitter.com/I9J6DDExM7

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 14, 2024

In their grass-court encounter, De Minaur edged ahead in a 56-minute first set and took control in the second to secure victory on his first match point.

De Minaur withstood eight aces from Raonic in a solid all-round performance, and converted four of his seven break point opportuiities.

Aiming to improve on a grass-court record that includes a runner-up performance at Queen’s last year and the 2021 title in Eastbourne, De Minaur will face No.3 seed Ugo Humbert or Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer in the semifinals.

It was a tougher day in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for fellow Australian Aleksandar Vukic, who took the first set from local star Tallon Griekspoor before falling in three tight sets.

Aussies in action – ‘s-Hertogenbosch

RESULTS
Men’s singles, quarterfinals
[1] Alex de Minaur (AUS) d Milos Raonic (CAN) 7-5 6-2
[6] Tallon Griekspoor (NED) d Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 4-6 6-3 7-6(4)

Men’s doubles, semifinals
 [2] Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA) d John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) your 6-3 3-6 [10-7]

COMING UP
Men’s singles semifinals
[1] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v [3] Ugo Humbert (FRA) OR [Q] Gijs Brouwer (NED)  

Stuttgart, Germany

Aussies in action – Stuttgart

While James Duckworth was unable to maintain the form that saw him claim an upset win over top-20 star Ben Shelton to reach the Stuttgart quarterfinals, the Australian will take solid momentum into his next grass-court tournaments.

Duckworth fell to Matteo Berrettini, the Wimbledon men’s singles finalist in 2021, in straight sets but in reaching the quarterfinals, is set to return to the world’s top 100.

Currently sitting at world No.87 in the ATP live rankings, Duckworth’s progress at the ATP 250 tournament in Germany saw him come through qualifying and eliminate Pierre Hugues-Herbert in the first round.

RESULTS
Men’s singles, quarterfinals
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) d [Q] James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4 7-5