AUSSIE dynamo Alex de Minaur blitzed Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in the third round of Indian Wells, winning 10 of the last 11 games of the match to dismantle the 21st seed, 6-4 6-0 in an hour and 14 minutes. The Australian notched up win number 50 at ATP Masters 1000 level thanks to the result, and will head through to the Round of 16 where he faces Francisco Cerundolo.

The ninth seed looked incredible throughout the match, flicking a switch midway through the first set when he broke in the seventh game of the match and then eventually took it 6-4. The second set demolition saw the Aussie break on all three occasions en route to a bagel set, winning 26 of 36 points (72 per cent), including all bar three off Hurkacz’ serve.

Hurkacz was his own worst enemy in the second set, hitting eight unforced errors and winning just 3/15 on serve (20 per cent), while converting 7/21 (33 per cent) off de Minaur’s serve. Though the Aussie’s serve has not been known for its potency, the ninth seed did enough to save the only break point he faced – in the first set – and converted all four chances when returning.

Of Hurkacz’s 12 winners, seven of them were aces, leaving just five from groundstrokes, while only one double fault was counted from the 21 unforced errors. The Aussie only hit seven winners but 10 unforced errors, three of which were double faults.

The win set up a Round of 16 encounter with Cerundolo who de Minaur will start favourite against, having won in their only previous encounter earlier this year at the Australian Open. Both 26 years-old – de Minaur having turned it last month and Cerundolo turning 27 in August – the pair are ranked 10th and 26th respectively.

Cerundolo reached the round of 16 courtesy of a straight sets win over lucky loser Botic Van de Zandschulp who toppled Novak Djokovic two days prior. The Argentinian won 6-3 6-4 to stamp his ticket into the next round, while Jack Draper won the other early match with a 7-5 6-4 triumph over local hope Jenson Brooksby.

It was otherwise a good day for the American prospects with third seed Taylor Fritz, 11th seed Ben Shelton and 32nd seed Brandon Nakashima all recording victories today.