Alex De Minaur: “Australian tennis is clearly moving in the right direction”

Three Grand Slam quarter-finals, two titles and the top 10… How do you explain your success in 2024?

Alex DE MINAUR: I think that my whole life and my whole career have been built in small steps. Success doesn't happen all at once, it takes a lot of work. I constantly try to analyze my game and change this or that detail to become the best version of myself. In 2024, I undoubtedly took the biggest step (of my career, Editor's note) by joining the top 10. It was one of my life's goals. But, if I'm realistic, it's not that big a step from when I was 12th! (in 2023, editor’s note)

What aspects of your game have you been working on in preparation for 2025?

ADM: Nothing spectacular. I focused on improving my serve, to try to earn a few more +free+ points. I have clearly improved the speed of my serves, now I must try to gain precision (…). And of course, off the court, I'm trying to bulk up and get a little tougher (…) to be more competitive against the best.

You have never managed to beat either Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) or Jannik Sinner (1st)…

ADM: Carlos, I only faced him twice: the first (at Barcelona in 2022), I had match points and the second (at Queen's in 2023), I left the game a bit m 'escape, but it was a good match. Jannik, on the other hand, it was much more difficult for me (9-0 for the Italian, editor's note), as for many other players in 2024. That being said, I don't want to be satisfied with it. My goal is to try to beat these two.

What are your goals for 2025?

ADM: I'm not the type to set goals set in stone. I just hope to start the season in great shape and regain the momentum I had at the start of last season. But ideally the goal is to get as close to the top 5 as I can.

Did you check off any particular tournaments?

ADM: The goal is obviously to play well in major tournaments. If I want to improve my ranking, this is where I can earn points. So the objective is to go far in Grand Slam and Masters 1000.

Does starting the Australian tour as the best local player put more pressure on you?

ADM: I never considered it as additional pressure, it's more like additional motivation. Playing in Australia, for me, is stimulating. When I go on court, I know that the crowd will support me from the first point to the last.

Among the men, no Australian has won a Grand Slam since Lleyton Hewitt's success at Wimbledon in 2002 and Australia has not lifted the Davis Cup since 2003. How do you explain it?

ADM: We experienced a bit of a down period but over the last three to four years, we have proven that we are a country that counts. We have nine players in the top 100, it's not bad to have almost 10% of the top 100! In the Davis Cup, we made two consecutive finals (2022-2023) then a semi-final, we are not very far away. The only thing missing is probably a Grand Slam but it is one of the most difficult things to accomplish in this sport. Australian tennis is clearly moving in the right direction. I think we will win the Davis Cup title without too much delay and I hope for a Grand Slam.

Comments collected by Damien GAUDISSART