Australian tennis player Alex de Minaur was eliminated from Wimbledon on Tuesday after a four-set defeat to Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, ending a tournament that began with high expectations. The No. 5 seed lost 7-5, 7-6 (7-6), 4-6, 3-6 in a match that lasted two hours and 43 minutes on a hot day in London.

De Minaur’s campaign had been viewed as an opportunity for the 27-year-old to advance deep into the Grand Slam, especially given the absence and early exits of several top competitors. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury and Jannik Sinner also falling out earlier than anticipated, the draw appeared more open. Despite Sinner’s continued presence at Wimbledon and multiple-time champion Novak Djokovic still in contention, many had considered this a prime chance for de Minaur to break through.

However, the Australian struggled at critical moments, with a particularly poor service game late in the first set and an unforced mistake streak during the second set costing him valuable momentum. Throughout the match, de Minaur generated opportunities but ultimately could not overcome Cobolli, currently ranked 10th.

In reflecting on the loss, de Minaur expressed his disappointment and frustration. “It breaks me inside. That’s the reality of it,” he said. He attributed the defeat in part to his serve, a facet of his game on which he has dedicated considerable effort to improve. The loss marks the second consecutive major tournament where de Minaur has left earlier than hoped, leading him to question his place in the sport and his prospects of winning a Grand Slam.

Despite these doubts, de Minaur remains determined to continue competing. “I’m finding it harder. That’s the reality of it,” he admitted, but quickly affirmed his resolve, stating, “I’m not going to say, ‘I’ve had enough. I’m hanging up the racquets.’ It hurts like hell now. But I’ll get back up. I’m a competitor, you know, through and through. So I’ll get back up, and I’ll give myself another chance.”

The defeat leaves de Minaur without a title at any of the four major Grand Slam events and highlights the challenges he faces in converting his talent into a breakthrough tournament win. He now looks ahead to the post-Wimbledon season with the goal of addressing the issues that hampered his performance at the All England Club.