Interview: Australian Open top-ranked Alex de Minaur

Table of Contents

Alex de Minaur had an impressive yr in 2025. He opened the season by reaching the quarterfinals for the primary time at his house event, the Australian Open, and went on to succeed in two ATP finals, together with profitable the 500-level Washington Open in July.

And we hope that 2026 shall be even higher.

After profitable his third Lightning Bolt Trophy on the UTS Grand Closing in December, de Minaur formally began the brand new season as a member of Staff Australia within the United Cup, explaining that the quick format fits his sport and “brings out the perfect in his tennis”. This crew occasion allowed him to do two of his favourite issues. It is about taking part in in entrance of an Australian crowd and “representing the inexperienced and gold.” He helped lead his crew to the quarterfinals, scoring a three-set victory over eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.

The primary main of the yr is a mixture of stress and pleasure for any participant, however much more so for the Australian. The nation hasn’t had a males’s Australian Open champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976, so hopes of reversing the drought are largely positioned on Australia’s top-ranked participant and No. 6 seed De Minaur. However he has a troublesome draw.

He was initially given the problem of dealing with former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini within the opening match earlier than Berrettini withdrew. He’s scheduled to face fortunate loser Mackenzie McDonald within the first spherical on Monday, with Francis Tiafoe doubtless ready within the third spherical. It solely will get tougher from there. Alexander Bublik could possibly be his opponent within the spherical of 16, and if de Minaur reaches the quarterfinals, he’ll doubtless face Carlos Alcaraz. “Mainly, you need to hearth from the phrase ‘go,'” De Minaur stated of his journey.

However with all this on his again, how does de Minaur really feel when the Australian Open begins, and does he consider he can beat Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner when the stakes are highest?

We sat down with De Minaur final month to seek out out these solutions and extra.

This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.

ESPN: First off, how was your offseason? What did you do?

Alex de Minaur: I had a couple of week and a half of trip, which was far more trip than I’ve taken within the final 4 or 5 years, however I did not go wherever particularly. To be sincere, I simply spent a bit of time with household and pals (in Spain and his house base of Monaco) and that was it. It was a fast pivot, however in the end it is a part of the job, getting again to work and getting again to getting ready for 2026. Sure, meaning everyone seems to be giving it their all.

ESPN: So that you did not go to the Maldives, which was like this for a lot of the tour?

From Minar: No, sadly it wasn’t. I did not go to the gamers lounge in Maldives.

ESPN: How lengthy have you ever gone with out choosing up a tennis racket? Did you return to the fitness center for the primary time?

From Minar: Mainly it is just for per week and a half. I say that as a result of I haven’t got a lot time left. That is the type of world we stay in. It is a sudden change of route, however I am glad I used to be in a position to take a while off to modify off, get better and mentally put together myself to start out once more.

ESPN: As we method the 2025 season, what stands out to you as you look again and what are you most happy with?

From Minar: I believe this yr has been full of excellent issues and a variety of downs, however I am glad. The way in which I dealt with these tougher moments, and in the end I used to be in a position to have my greatest yr ever by way of wins, year-end rankings, a variety of massive positives to construct on, and yeah, I hope I can benefit from my possibilities and alternatives in 2026 and have an excellent higher yr.

ESPN: What’s it like to start out the yr in Australia?

From Minar: It is at all times nice to start out the yr in entrance of a giant crowd at house, so it feels very particular. That is one thing I at all times stay up for, particularly taking part in in Sydney (within the United Cup). Since I hardly ever return there, I by no means take it as a right and at all times attempt to do my greatest to signify the inexperienced and gold.

ESPN: What do you concentrate on the Australian followers?

From Minar: Australian followers are very patriotic. they’re filled with power. They assist their gamers and are the perfect kind of followers. All they count on from the gamers is to provide their greatest and I really feel they may have your again from the primary level to the final. It is nice to really feel as a participant.

ESPN: This may increasingly appear apparent, however how does that assist assist in an in depth sport?

From Minar: Like I stated, they’ve your again. On the finish of the day, what I attempt to do is interact with the gang as a lot as I can as a result of they’re those who give me the power I want, particularly in probably the most tough moments. They get me out of a gap and on the finish of the day all I wish to do is play good tennis for them. It’s going to offer you further motivation.

ESPN: I am certain that feeling will double on the Australian Open. What’s it like taking part in in tournaments as a top-ranked Australian?

from minar: In spite of everything, it is one of many greatest tournaments of the yr for me. I hope to do properly there. That is my house slum. I wish to carry out in entrance of a crowd and I would like nothing greater than to get a very good consequence there. So a variety of preparation and exhausting work goes to be about beginning the yr in the easiest way potential and hopefully performing properly in Melbourne.

ESPN: Except for the passionate house followers, what makes the Australian Open expertise completely different for you than different main tournaments?

From Minar: Are you taking part in at house? So, naturally, there’s a bit of extra strain and expectation. Greater than something, I wish to do properly there. I simply wish to make Australia proud. In order that’s why you at all times wish to put a bit of emphasis on that event and ensure you play properly there. After I was a child, there was nothing I wished greater than to play in a stadium in entrance of a packed crowd and win a lot of video games. That is the final word aim.

ESPN: Have you ever gotten used to the additional strain and a spotlight that comes with tournaments? Have you ever discovered any methods to take care of it over the previous few years?

From Minar: I imply, I have been on this place for some time so I really feel like I am used to it and I do not see it as an added strain or expectation. I am simply genuinely excited to play in Australia so I am utilizing that as pleasure as a substitute of fascinated with the strain and expectations and additional nerves. It is at all times thrilling to step onto the courts in Australia and it brings out the perfect in me.

ESPN: You made it to the quarterfinals there for the primary time final yr. How would you outline success this yr?

From Minar: Properly, I am hoping for one thing higher. Hopefully, it is tough. Ideally, I would not measure my success by outcomes, however I might be mendacity if I stated I did not wish to do extra subsequent yr. Properly, I believe my degree is there. When the time comes, I wish to do it and have the ability to compete for slam tournaments (titles).

ESPN: You stated it was your dream to play within the Australian Open whenever you have been a child. Was there a closing or a second that made you wish to play within the Australian Open?

From Minar: Let me let you know that there have been many symbolic finals. And Lleyton (Hewitt)’s many iconic matches stand out to me, like when he beat (Marcos) Baghdatis at daybreak (a record-setting third spherical in 2008 that ended at 4:34 a.m.). It was so epic.

And there have been numerous finals, together with the ultimate between Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic), and the ultimate between Rafa and Roger. But it surely was at all times a dream to play there too. After I was a child watching video games, my final aim was to play in entrance of a packed stadium, however even now I nonetheless discover myself in a pinch. I am undoubtedly very fortunate to be within the place I am in and I do not take it as a right. And yeah, hopefully there shall be much more like that.

ESPN: What was the primary second you felt pinched?

From Minar: It was undoubtedly a really particular second to play in Sydney in entrance of a packed stadium on one of many courts I have been coaching on (in 2017) after which win my first ATP title in Sydney (in 2019).

ESPN: Since then, you’ve got managed to win 9 extra singles titles, however in recent times you’ve got typically talked concerning the problem of dealing with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, particularly within the greatest tournaments. What’s it like taking part in with two folks at the present time? (Editor’s be aware: De Minaur has a complete of 0 wins and 18 losses in opposition to Alcaraz and Sinner.)

From Minar: They’re undoubtedly taking part in at a fairly excessive degree and setting the usual. Subsequently, we, the remaining rivals, are going to do our greatest to seek out methods to compete with them, counterbalance them and in the end make their lives as tough as potential.

ESPN: What’s completely different about getting ready for the battle between Alcaraz and Sinner? Does it change the way you method the battle?

What in the end issues is discovering a technique to defeat them. You get to strive various things. As we transfer ahead, there are several types of sport types, matches, and matchups that can require a bit of adjustment right here and there to play with all these gamers and in the end beat the perfect gamers on the earth. So you need to attempt to do your greatest and produce out the perfect in your self. In any other case, you can see your self in a really tough scenario.

ESPN: Are you having fun with this problem?

From Minar: I imply, it is undoubtedly a problem. In the end that is what we’re attempting to enhance on and like I stated, I really feel like I’ve received a bit of extra work to do in my profession, so I am hoping that I can proceed to push in the direction of that, enhance and ultimately break by means of in opposition to two of the perfect gamers on the earth. I have never been in a position to obtain that breakthrough up to now, so I will get there sometime.

ESPN: You’ve got typically credited your fiancée, Katie Boulter (at present ranked No. 113 on the WTA Tour), for serving to you on and off the court docket. How has she helped you? What’s it prefer to have her assist when taking part in in the identical event?

From Minar: It is nice to have somebody by your facet who’s in the identical world as you, understands the nice moments, the tough moments, and every little thing in between, and in the end has your again. On the court docket, I believe in the end there are two completely different sport types that assist one another out at occasions. There’s additionally a variety of psychological perspective, like how every of us views a scenario or a match, and what we’re pondering at sure sorts of factors. I believe we complemented one another and have been in a position to virtually get the perfect out of one another.

ESPN: Do you focus on technique with one another earlier than video games?

From Minar: generally. it relies upon. We do not discuss a lot about tennis and check out our greatest to stay a extra regular life.

ESPN: Talking of which, how are the marriage plans going?

From Minar: That is undoubtedly occurring. It is a complete course of, however clearly it isn’t the simplest since we’re each tennis gamers and are fairly busy a lot of the yr. It is definitely a course of.

ESPN: How tough was it simply to seek out the precise date on the calendar?

Properly, really there weren’t that many dates to select from, in order that was useful. We now have a packed schedule so it in the end got here all the way down to once we would have a second time for ourselves. That is how we made all our selections.

ESPN: You’ve got been an integral a part of most of the ATP and event social movies, and also you have been even named “Finest Actor” (profitable a small trophy) on the ATP Finals. What’s enjoyable about making movies like that?

From Minar: I like that they let me present a bit of little bit of my character off the court docket. I believe folks assume I am very severe from the way in which I look on the tennis court docket, nevertheless it’s a enjoyable method for me to point out who I’m off the court docket. On the finish of the day, I am a fairly laid-back, fairly relaxed, type of goofy man. In order that facet of me comes out.

ESPN: Is there something that followers have a tendency to say or discuss about you?

There are some movies the place folks gave the impression to be having extra enjoyable than others, and sure, they actually appeared to get pleasure from my job as a parking zone attendant.