Alex de Minaur may be happy along with his progresses over the previous twelve months. The Australian ace had a really common season, through which he virtually at all times defeated the gamers who’re behind him within the ATP rating.
The present world No.9 reached the quarterfinals in three of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments in 2024, failing to take action solely in entrance of his followers on the Australian Open (the place he was defeated within the spherical of 16 within the final three editions).
Alex provides his finest in each match he performs and has labored arduous to enhance his sport along with Lleyton Hewitt, who has at all times had nice respect for him. De Minaur doesn’t have the identical energy from the baseline as gamers like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, however he has different expertise that enable him to compete on the highest degree.
Alex de Minaur, ATP Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
The Australian champion is probably the quickest participant on the ATP tour and his potential to shoot winners has improved loads within the final two seasons. His serve has develop into extra insidious for opponents, though it’s not his major weapon. His nice consistency allowed Alex to play the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, the place he was eradicated already within the group stage. De Minaur additionally participated within the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, however Australia needed to give up to an awesome Italy (as in 2023).
In a protracted interview with Eurosport earlier than the beginning of the brand new season, the World No.9 revealed his fundamental aim: “There’s nothing I would like more than to do well in Australia, so I’m doing my best to get there in the best possible state of mind.
Fitness wise, I just want to peak there, and hopefully I can go out there and play some of my best tennis.”
De Minaur on Kyrgios’ return
De Minaur will not be Australia’s solely massive hope on the Comfortable Slam, as there may even be the extremely anticipated return of Nick Kyrgios. The finalist of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships has been absent from the tour for the previous two years because of a sequence of accidents. The Australian expertise mentioned he want to win a prestigious title earlier than ending his profession and has been training very arduous in latest weeks. Nick will begin his 2025 on the Brisbane Worldwide, which may even function a preparation for the AO.
Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios© YouTube screenshot
In the identical interview, de Minaur additionally commented on Kyrgios’ upcoming return: “I think everyone in the whole tennis world is looking forward to having him back. He’s obviously an incredible talent and has done some great things in the sport, so I’m sure the whole tennis world will be very excited to watch him play and compete again.
He’s been getting back from rehab, trying to do his best. I’ve seen he’s starting in Brisbane, so I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of eyeballs on that.”
Alex has improved loads
Regardless of the progresses made within the latest interval, Alex nonetheless struggles loads in opposition to opponents like Sinner and Alcaraz. Specifically, the Italian ace has at all times defeated him on the skilled tour and has misplaced just one set throughout their matches. The 2 gamers not too long ago confronted one another at each the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, with the world No. 1 profitable in straight units on each events.
After recovering his power, the Australian champion efficiently participated within the UTS Grand Remaining in London, the choice tour created by prime coach Patrick Mouratoglou that provides gamers a really fascinating prize cash.
Jannik Sinner & Alex de Minaur, ATP Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
Talking with ‘Tennis365’, de Minaur opened up on the UTS occasions: “I’ve played a couple of the UTS events now and I’ve enjoyed it. Having only one serve is an interesting mindset change and I enjoy trying to adapt to it.
I find the noise and chaos of UTS a little easier to deal with when I know it’s coming and that’s the case in UTS. When everything is quiet, you hear every noise, but it’s never quiet at UTS and it showed me that I can play like that.
He also added: “You get used to the fact that the crowd are going nuts, screaming and the music is playing and it means you have to find a different way to focus in on playing points.
The money is also good at the UTS events and that makes it super competitive. We are all out there trying to win and that big pay cheque at the end of the week is driving everyone on. It gets the best out of the players.”
