Alex de Minaur is set for the biggest match of his career at the Australian Open, facing Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals, but his fiancée Katie Boulter will not be courtside. The world No. 8 has never progressed this far at his home Grand Slam, and he will aim to keep Australian hopes alive in the men's singles draw.
Boulter, Britain's No. 1, has been a constant presence at Melbourne Park since her own exit in the second round. The pair, engaged during the off-season, have cheered each other on throughout the tournament. She watched De Minaur defeat Alex Michelsen in the fourth round on Rod Laver Arena, but has now flown back to the UK.
Laura Robson, a former British star and close friend of Boulter, confirmed the news on Eurosport. "Unfortunately Katie isn’t here, she’s gone home," Robson said. "She left yesterday morning because she’s playing Doha in a couple of weeks so needs to be able to prepare as best as possible for that. But I know she’ll be watching on the TV."
Boulter's support had been a talking point earlier in the tournament. After De Minaur's last-16 win, Jim Courier joked about the timing of his engagement, asking if it was a coincidence. De Minaur replied: "I don’t believe in coincidences! I think when you’re happy off the court you play some good tennis on the court."
Despite Boulter's absence, De Minaur will have the full backing of the 14,800-strong Rod Laver Arena crowd. He is the first Australian man to reach the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios a decade ago, and no home player has won the title since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
