Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur conceded his body “feels a little bit ginger everywhere” but insisted he will be good to go in time for his blockbuster quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic.
De Minaur sent a major scare through Wimbledon when he appeared to stiffen up after hitting a stunning volley to secure a 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Arthur Fils and progress into the final eight.
Get on board Kayo and watch every game of every round of the NRL + AFL Seasons live and ad break free during play. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
The Aussie immediately looked to his box after the game and shook his head, later revealing he felt a bit of pain in his right hip.
He also did not arrive for his press conference until over two hours after his game against Fils.
However, De Minaur backed himself to overcome any injuries ahead of his next match.
“I’m feeling pretty decent,” De Minaur said in his press conference.
“Again, my body went through a pretty physical match out there (and the) body feels a little bit ginger everywhere. I’m not going to lie.
“I’ve done my recovery. I’m sure I’ll be feeling great tomorrow.
MORE COVERAGE
Demon sets up Djoker showdown … but awkward final act sparks Wimbledon injury fears
‘You guys can’t touch me’: Djoker fumes over Wimbledon crowd ‘disrespect’ in wild interview
Aussie eyes Olympic rebound after Djoker pain as image reveals 10-year bond behind medal tilt
“I just slid out to a forehand on my first match point. I felt like I jarred it a little bit. I kind of was a little bit ginger.
“Again, it’s probably a little bit of a scare more than anything. The situation was tight. In a way helped me relax and finish off the match.”
De Minaur will have to be at his physical best for his quarterfinal contest against Djokovic, who sealed his berth in the next stage after beating No. 15 seed Holger Rune in straight sets then taking aim at the Wimbledon crowd.
The Serb, who reached his 15th Wimbledon quarterfinal from 19 appearances is into the last eight at a grand slam for the 60th time.
The 37-year-old praised the improvements de Minaur has made over the last 18 months and said he was a genuine top 10 player.
He also noted the Australian had beaten him in the United Cup in January and expects that will fuel de Minaur’s belief, but pointed out grand slam matches are a different beast to regular tour outings.
“I’ve seen him only going in the right direction in terms of improvement of his game,” he said.
“I think his serve has become a weapon that maybe wasn’t the case before. He takes the ball early. He’s not afraid to come to the net. So he’s a very all-round player. And he’s now established in the top 10 to 15 in the world.
“He has also has plenty of experience in playing in the big stages, the latter stages of grand slams, so I’m sure he’s going to come out on the court and believe he can win.
“He already beat me this year in Australia, so there’s no reason why he thinks that he can’t win that match. But obviously grand slams are a whole different game, I guess.
“I like my chances. I like the way I played tonight against a tough opponent, so I look forward to it.”