Indian Wells, CA, United States, 10 March 2025 | AAP

Australia’s top-ranked tennis player Alex de Minaur has cruised into the fourth round at Indian Wells.

The world No.10, who is seeded ninth for the ATP 1000 event in the California desert, scored an impressive 6-4 6-0 win over Hubert Hurkacz.

Their head-to-head had been locked at 1-1, with the Pole taking out their last clash back in 2019 on the red clay in Madrid.

“I did get some pretty big, crucial first serves when I did need them, which is always great to have,” De Minaur said.

“But my return games, I know and I back myself against any server out there on tour, that I’m going to give myself looks. And I’m gonna apply that constant pressure and more often than not, I give myself opportunities, I give myself a chance to break.

“So if I can hold onto my serve, normally I’m looking alright for the match.”

After a first-round bye and straight-sets victory over Belgian veteran David Goffin, De Minaur broke for the first time in the seventh game of the opening set, before taking it with his only set point.

The second stanza was all ‘The Demon’; he broke the No.21 seed again in the first, third and fifth games to seal the contest in just 74 minutes.

50 – Since the format’s inception in 1990, Alex de Minaur (50) has become the fifth Australian to claim 50+ ATP Masters 1000 match wins after Lleyton Hewitt, Pat Rafter, Mark Philippoussis and Nick Kyrgios. Quintet.#TennisParadise | @BNPPARIBASOPEN @atptour @ATPMediaInfo pic.twitter.com/JscjTEf5e9

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) March 10, 2025

While the two men were almost equal in winners (Hurkacz struck 13 to De Minaur’s 10) the Australian produced a much cleaner performance, committing 12 unforced errors while Hurkacz sprayed 33.

“It’s honestly just part of my DNA. Whenever I’m out there, I’m always trying to win every single point I can, and that’s my way of staying in the moment, staying focused, and never being satisfied with the scoreline,” De Minaur explained.

“Because I do know how tennis works – momentum changes can affect a match so quickly. Obviously first job is to try and get that break, then if you can, to try and get that insurance break, which is the second break, and of course once you are up, you’re feeling quite well on the court, and it kind of all flowed in together today.”

De Minaur, a nine-time ATP title winner, will next face 25th seed Franciso Cerundolo after the Argentine beat Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp 7-5 6-4.

In men’s doubles, Australian gold medallists Matt Ebden and John Peers are through to the last 16, as is Jordan Thompson, who is partnering Sebastian Korda. John-Patrick Smith entered as an alternate pairing with Brazil’s Fernando Romboli.

Ellen Perez, seeded No.4 alongside Jelena Ostapenko, is through to the women’s doubles quarterfinals.