New York, United States, 2 September 2019 | Darren Walton (AAP)

Alex de Minaur is vowing to return hungrier after receiving a Grand Slam reality check at Flushing Meadows.

De Minaur’s breakthrough US Open campaign came to a halt at the hands of resurgent former world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov.

The 2017 ATP Finals champion broke De Minaur once in each set in an emphatic 7-5 6-3 6-4 fourth-round win that left the 20-year-old under no illusions about where he needs to be to take the next step towards contending at majors.

“The person that I am, I want things now. I am a bit disappointed because I saw this as a big opportunity to hopefully go further,” De Minaur said.

“But the only thing that this is going to do is that it is going to make me hungrier.

“I am done here. (But) the only thing I can think of is getting back on the courts to keep training harder, to get stronger and fitter and really have a very strong end to the Asian swing and the rest of the season as well.”

Despite the defeat, it is far from doom and gloom for De Minaur, who is projected to return to the world’s top 30 after reaching the last 16 for the first time at a major.

“I have got to look at the positives. It sounds very clichéd but I have had a very good US summer, especially after being injured and being able to come back,” he said.

“I was defending a fair bit (of rankings points) and came back and I wanted to play some good tennis and got a title and made my first fourth round.

“I know that my level is there. I can beat these top guys. It is about keeping at it, day in and day out.

“I am going to keep getting better and hopefully the results come. Instead of making fourth rounds, I will start making quarterfinals and I am going to keep on pushing myself to the max.

“It will drive me.”