Come And Join The Minaurity! Aussie Rules The Roost

[stringertom]

Just an incredibly meteoric rise to prominence for the 18-year-old kid from Oz. Into an ATP250 final five weeks shy of his 19th birthday after another impressive run through a good part of the draw at Brisbane the previous week (SFs by beating Steve Johnson and Raonic).

A win vs qualifier and finalist Daniil Medvedev would vault AdM at the cusp of the top 100 in the rankings and he would surpass the other Alex as the youngest ATP title holder this past decade and join ATGs like Nadal and his DC captain Hewitt on the list of post-millennium 18-year-old winners.

Let's hear it for the boy walking amongst the men!

 

[stringertom]

Oh, by the way...he shares February 17 as a birthday with our ATG @JoelDali !

 

[bogdan101]

Actually if he wins the title tomorrow he would be ranked 101. I gotta say he's one of the most satisfying players to watch right now; made quite a few top players go home crying the last couple of weeks. Can't believe the focus and composure he has. We'll see if he can keep it up away from home.

 

[stringertom]

Actually if he wins the title tomorrow he would be ranked 101. I gotta say he's one of the most satisfying players to watch right now; made quite a few top players go home crying the last couple of weeks. Can't believe the focus and composure he has. We'll see if he can keep it up away from home.

The live.eu ranking is confusing me. It shows him still at #167 but denotes he's in the Sydney final without awarding him the associated points for the victory over Paire. It does list he will max out at 453 total points with the title, which should put him into the 120's. To get to #101, he needs 553 total points. He would have 340 from Brisbane/Sydney. I'm not sure I see 213 points from his 52 previous weeks???

 

[bogdan101]

The live.eu ranking is confusing me. It shows him still at #167 but denotes he's in the Sydney final without awarding him the associated points for the victory over Paire. It does list he will max out at 453 total points with the title, which should put him into the 120's. To get to #101, he needs 553 total points. He would have 340 from Brisbane/Sydney. I'm not sure I see 213 points from his 52 previous weeks???

I see the live ranking with him at #127 with 453 points. A win tomorrow wold get him to 553 points.

 

[Oz_Rocket]

Definitely lacks an outright weapon but he's got mental toughness and an amazing ability to chase down anything and clinically probe his opponents for weaknesses forcing them to make mistakes. A lot of the match threads say "but X's forehand/backhand/serve broke down" well that what happens when you are forced to step it up and can't. He'll struggle against top 10/20 players who can rise to the challenge but he's going to be one of those players no one wants to come up against early in a draw.

 

[stringertom]

Definitely lacks an outright weapon but he's got mental toughness and an amazing ability to chase down anything and clinically probe his opponents for weaknesses forcing them to make mistakes. A lot of the match threads say "but X's forehand/backhand/serve broke down" well that what happens when you are forced to step it up and can't. He'll struggle against top 10/20 players who can rise to the challenge but he's going to be one of those players no one wants to come up against early in a draw.

BerdPoo 1R!

 

[stringertom]

I see the live ranking with him at #127 with 453 points. A win tomorrow wold get him to 553 points.

I switched fields to U19 and your numbers show up there. Thanks!

They need to fix that!

 

[stringertom]

Minaurity members might enjoy this info:

Born and raised in Sydney until age 5 to a Uruguayan father and Spanish mother. He still speaks English with an Oz twang despite living in Alicante, Spain since the move.

The Llegend Lleyton has come on board to add mentorship but his primary coach remains Spaniard Adolfo Gutierrez and he still trains in his adopted Spanish hometown. He dreams of playing for Australia in DC and Olympics.

Plays a blacked out pro stock version of the Wilson Steam 99...16x18 string pattern and Luxilon 4G strings. With Hewitt hovering close in the background, look for Yonex to enter the picture.

All Asics gear otherwise.

 

[Red Rick]

I dig the thread title @stringertom

I still need more treatment for Aussie Tomic Ache though

 

[Bartelby]

I think his speed can be considered an outright weapon and Nadal certainly had this as well as his high topspin forehand.

 

[stringertom]

I think his speed can be considered an outright weapon and Nadal certainly had this as well as his high topspin forehand.

He also has great feel displayed with his net play and willingness to redirect baseline shots. That BH DTL is the hardest point changing shot to master and I've seen him pull it off several times in the limited vid highlights I've watched.

 

[Oz_Rocket]

BerdPoo 1R!

We'll see if Poo can rise

 

[stringertom]

My apologies to @PureDrive573 for opening a second thread but I rarely venture into GPPD due to the excessive flame wars battled there so I had not viewed your thread. Also, I like PMR's lack of restrictions on discussing recent or ongoing matches. This way we can discuss matches that don't merit a separate dedicated thread. I kept seeing the AdM/Verdasco match thread bumped several days after they played so I started this as a cure.

 

[Coolio]

The Minaurity Report

 

[PureDrive573]

My apologies to @PureDrive573 for opening a second thread but I rarely venture into GPPD due to the excessive flame wars battled there so I had not viewed your thread. Also, I like PMR's lack of restrictions on discussing recent or ongoing matches. This way we can discuss matches that don't merit a separate dedicated thread. I kept seeing the AdM/Verdasco match thread bumped several days after they played so I started this as a cure.

No worries, all you gotta do is spread the love

 

[ADuck]

De Minaur also has a good demeanour about him

 

[jon70]

Was trying to think where I've seen his forehand before and it came to me - del Potro.

 

[stringertom]

The Minaurity Report

I thought that but it wasn't my favorite film and I didn't want to think of it every time I posted.

 

[stringertom]

The quick start and first set breadstick wasn't enough as Medvedev has found some mental toughness in Sydney to eke out a title, 1-6 6-4 7-5. Seven matches and three 3-set triumphs for the champion from the qualifiers.

 

[stringertom]

De Minaur also has a good demeanour about him

Alex good de Minaur, no?

 

[Mainad]

I like his de minaur very much.

 

[gogo]

I like his de minaur very much.

 

[stringertom]

I hope his sister Miss de Minaur stays out of small time legal trouble.

 

[bogdan101]

Wondering if he was injured before the final; when he changed his shirt I saw a bandage on his abdomen, and the first serve was mostly in the 150-160 km/h range.

 

[stringertom]

Wondering if he was injured before the final; when he changed his shirt I saw a bandage on his abdomen, and the first serve was mostly in the 150-160 km/h range.

A lot of tennis these first two weeks of the year. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some ab strain.

 

[Charleneriva]

Just saw this on twitter:


Andy Murray
@andy_murray

I wish I was as grown up as
Alex de Minaur on the tennis court

great attitude! Love watching him play

 

[eliars]

Saw the guy this week.

Turned me into a fan. Don't know if he has Slam-potential, but I love his game, grit and personality.

 

[stringertom]

Definitely in the Talk as best in court coverage. What a set of wheels!

 

[Tennease]

Someone said he's got a Sampras forehand. I wish he would adopt Sampras serve too.

 

[stringertom]

Thread bumpity...into Miami main draw after two straight set wins over fellow teen Axel Geller and more veteran Ruben Bemelmans.

Pray for a better draw than JMDP in 2R, like IW.

 

[stringertom]

Speed vs speed today in 1R vs Nishioka. If Alex can get through, it's an AO rematch with the Berd, which was a tough 4-set loss.

 

[TahoeTennis]

With Hewitt in his corner anything is possible theseus style

 

[stringertom]

Speed beat speed today.

 

[Forehand_Slice]

Considering their repsective forms, figured it would be a lot closer.

De Minaur doesn't have enough power or an elite backhand to comfortably contend with a in form Nishioka.
Other Nishi doesn't have a big game but can be quite effective.

Consistent looping cross court to the backhand and then a DTL forehand, nasty combo moving Alex side to side.

 

[jaggy]

I just saw he is playing in a clay challenger in Spain which has some pretty tough competition. Seeded 4 he is now in the semis and will face 1 seed Carballes Baena.

 

[stringertom]

I just saw he is playing in a clay challenger in Spain which has some pretty tough competition. Seeded 4 he is now in the semis and will face 1 seed Carballes Baena.

An Aussie with a clay game? Not since the days of the dawn of Open Era tennis, when 3/4 of slams were on grass.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Lost in the Alicante final to a veteran, a former top-40:

Full match
[4] Alex De Minaur (AUS) vs [WC] Pablo Andujar (ESP) [starts at 26:00]https://livestream.com/ATP/events/8146464

No shame in that.

114 NCH (123) Alex de Minaur 19.1 AUS5 499

 

[stringertom]

Will need an ATP250 final to make top 100, joining Shapo and Tsitsipas for a teenage trio.

Someone mentioned he may be scheduled for Marrakech qualies this week. No draw sheet yet though.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Someone mentioned he may be scheduled for Marrakech qualies this week.

https://www.ubitennis.net/2018/04/entry-lists-houston-marrakech-live-2/

 

[stringertom]

https://www.ubitennis.net/2018/04/entry-lists-houston-marrakech-live-2/

So he will try to qualify in Marrakech. Thanks!

Off topic, Coric will not defend his title.

 

[stringertom]

Thread bumpity...steamrolled native Gastao Elias 1R at Estoril Open, obviously inspired by fellow mates from Oz (Millman, Thompson, Polmans) going deep in draws on the dirt.

2R is a Pommie War vs South Park Kyle Edmund.

 

[EloQuent]

Countdown to join Shapo and Tsitsi in top 100?

 

[stringertom]

Countdown to join Shapo and Tsitsi in top 100?

NCH #107 and 77 points back of #100 but five players in between are active this week. Without making the final, it's another week or more before the eventual move into double digits.

 

[nvr2old]

I hope he makes everyone forget about Tomic and Kyrgios. Seems like a great kid!

 

[Joseph_K]

Earlier today in second round action at the Estoril Open Alex De Minaur was beaten by Kyle Edmund. The young Australian was rather overwhelmed by the firepower coming from the Englishman, particularly from the forehand side, and was often scuttling in vain from one side of the court to the other trying to retrieve Edmund's shots.

De Minaur did well to recover from 2-4 to 4-4 in the second set, but had his serve broken again at 5-5, at which point he threw his racket to the court in disgust. He had been becoming increasingly frustrated and hot under the collar as the match progressed and dropped his racket again in the next game as Edmund served out the match for a 6-2, 7-5 victory.

 

[EloQuent]

Earlier today in second round action at the Estoril Open Alex De Minaur was beaten by Kyle Edmund. The young Australian was rather overwhelmed by the firepower coming from the Englishman, particularly from the forehand side, and was often scuttling in vain from one side of the court to the other trying to retrieve Edmund's shots.

De Minaur did well to recover from 2-4 to 4-4 in the second set, but had his serve broken again at 5-5, at which point he threw his racket to the court in the disgust. He had been becoming increasingly frustrated and hot under the collar as the match progressed and dropped his racket again in the next game as Edmund served out the match for a 6-2, 7-5 victory.

Edmund is a solid top 20 level player on his way up. No shame in this loss. He's still alive in doubles.

 

[sredna42]

An Aussie with a clay game? Not since the days of the dawn of Open Era tennis, when 3/4 of slams were on grass.

Let's be honest, it's because he's not really an Aussie is he.
Really like the kid, he's going to go far, but he's Spanish, but with Aussie connections.

 

[stringertom]

Let's be honest, it's because he's not really an Aussie is he.
Really like the kid, he's going to go far, but he's Spanish, but with Aussie connections.

Born in Oz, lived there for five years before his family moved to his mother's home in Spain but moved back at age 13. I quote him, "I used to represent Spain but I always felt I was Australian. As soon as I moved back here again that's the first thing I wanted to do, play for Australia."

With Hewitt in his corner, he is very firmly in the future plans for the Oz DC team.

 

[sredna42]

Born in Oz, lived there for five years before his family moved to his mother's home in Spain but moved back at age 13. I quote him, "I used to represent Spain but I always felt I was Australian. As soon as I moved back here again that's the first thing I wanted to do, play for Australia."

With Hewitt in his corner, he is very firmly in the future plans for the Oz DC team.