The Australian is pragmatic about his chances of winning a major in the Alcaraz-Sinner era but knows he plays his best tennis when he doesn’t put pressure on himself
I
t’s hard to think of anyone in tennis who works harder than Alex de Minaur, the Australian who next month will once again carry the hopes of a nation as he tries to become the first home winner of the men’s title at the Australian Open for 50 years. No one is faster around the court, no one more diligent off it than the 26-year-old. It’s a work ethic that has helped him to 10 titles so far in his career and he ends 2025 as the world No 7, his highest year-end ranking, and having won the prestigious Newcombe medal for a fourth time.
But in a sport where success at the very top level is ultimately judged by performances at grand slams, De Minaur has so far fallen short. He has made the quarter-finals of a major six times – including five of the past eight – but with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner having split the last eight majors, opportunities are scarce.
The pressure at home to win a big one is immense but with age also comes a little clarity. Andy Murray lost his first four grand slam finals, the fourth a particularly painful one, to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2012. It was only then, as Murray accepted that he might never win a slam, that he found the freedom to play his best tennis, winning the Olympics just four weeks later, the start of a golden period in which he won three slams, another Olympic gold medal, the Davis Cup and became world No 1.
