Australia’s number one Alex de Minaur has definitely shown an upward swing in his improvement graph in the last 12 months. De Minaur recently made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open but suffered a straight-set loss against eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
The Australian has a 0-10 record against the Italian and didn’t have many answers to Sinner’s attack.
Meanwhile, Alex has definitely produced more consistent performances in the last year. The 25-year-old said he is hungry for more and wants to keep improving at the top level.
“I do feel like I’ve taken big steps in the right direction in the last year,” De Minaur told ATPTour.com in Rotterdam. “I’ve improved as a player. I think showing the consistency of making the quarters in the last four Slams is something that I don’t take lightly by any means. And I think it’s a great platform to build on. I want more.
“Last year, a lot of stuff happened, I was injured for a lot of the year and I still managed to achieve some great results, but the goal this year is to stay healthy and have that same trajectory. And hopefully that’s going to take me to bigger and better things and I don’t think I’ve hit my ceiling just yet. It’s exciting, and I’m looking forward to what this year has to offer.”
The Australian reached the quarterfinals of three Slams in 2024 and also qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. He also broke into the top-10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings. De Minaur said entering the top 10 has made a lot of change in his career.
“It’s funny the change. Two years ago, I was No. 11 or 12. Then I just moved up one spot, two spots and it makes such a big difference. In terms of eyeballs, the media, the pressures, the expectation, all of that,” De Minaur explained. “But it definitely has changed over the years and I definitely do feel the love in Australia.
“I mean, ultimately, the spotlight is there, right? It’s the start of the season, it’s your home slam. And, there’s a lot of things that come with it. As a player, there’s nothing I want to do more than to play well in Australia, and play well in front of my home fans, my family, and friends.
“There’s a lot of good parts to it. There’s a lot of eyeballs. It’s exciting playing on Rod Laver Arena in front of packed crowds with everyone supporting you. But of course, it kind of means that a lot of people are expecting you to win as well.”
Alex has taken the opening set against David Goffin in the opening round at the Rotterdam Open.
