Alex de Minaur has completed one big Italian job at the Vienna Open -- but is now tasked with an even more monumental one in the semifinals.
How will he overcome prolific opponent Jannik Sinner?
Australia's impressive No.1 had to subdue a second-set rally from Matteo Berrettini before putting away the former Wimbledon finalist 6-1 7-6(4) in their quarterfinal at the Wiener Stadthall on Friday.
The victory, which De Minaur was relieved to finally nail down after Berrettini had saved three match points, put the tireless Sydneysider into his 30th tour-level semifinal while strengthening his bid to make the end-of-season ATP Finals again.
In his next assignment, the 26-year-old will need to beat Sinner for the first time after the world No.2 disposed of dangerman Alexander Bublik 6-4 6-4.
Asked on court if he was physically and mentally ready for the battles ahead, De Minaur simply smiled: "I'm always ready, mate. I stay ready.
"I'm pleased with with my level so far. I played some some great tennis for about three quarters of that match. I'm going to have to keep that level going forward."
Sinner has beaten De Minaur in all 11 meetings, with the chink of light for the Aussie being that he at least managed to win his first set in five years off the Australian Open and Wimbledon champ in their latest clash in Beijing last month.
"Alex is playing some great tennis. It was close in Beijing and it's going to be a tough, physical test," said Sinner, who looked rock-solid in his 19th successive indoor hard-court victory.
But De Minaur is looking fresh and sharp, playing excellently for the most part against Berrettini who, despite having won three of their four previous clashes, couldn't live with his speed and agility this time.
Berrettini, who's had so many injury struggles of late, was stunned by the Aussie's unerring quality of return, as he powered into a 5-0 lead before the world No.59 could even get on the board.
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De Minaur's level did drop, as Berrettini's power enabled him to break back twice in the second set, the second coming after he'd survived a match point when serving at 5-3 down.
De Minaur was mad to miss "an unmissable" backhand volley at the net that should have given him another match point but only allowed Berrettini an escape route back to 5-5.
In the tiebreak, De Minaur dominated for a 6-2 lead, but squandered another couple of match points before finally getting the job done with his 21st winner, a volley, to become the first man this year to 40 hard-court wins.
But even if 33 unforced errors won't cut it against Sinner, at least De Minaur's place in the eight-man ATP Finals in Turin looks increasingly assured.
Seventh in the standings, not only did he move to within a victory of leapfrogging Ben Shelton into sixth but, with ninth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime having had to pull out with injury when a set down to Jaume Munar in Friday's Swiss Indoors quarterfinal in Basel, 'Demon's' chasers appear to be running out of opportunities.
Should he progress past Sinner to reach the final at the ATP 500 tournament, De Minaur would have the chance to add an 11th ATP title and a second this year after victory in Washington.