Meles
Bionic Poster
He wasn't very good against the best
www.tennis.com
But then something happened over the last year or so versus the top 10:
With his return game nicely lifting starting in 2023 and now the serve game seems a bit better (still not great) in 2024 De Minaur is beating top 10 players with regularity and only the best servers seem to be able to keep him at arms length.
He seems on course to make tour finals and with his improved movement and stamina he's a player you don't want in your draw.
I've been ignoring him, but watching him play in 2024 he's very close to the level of Nadal, Murray, and prime Djokovic for movement and perhaps a touch more tenacity. What is worse is if you try to break out of the rallies with him by injecting pace well you're just playing into his hands as De Minaur excels at counter punching and using his opponent's power. I think like his mentor, Lleyton Hewitt, Alex will always be serve deprived, but unlike Hewitt he does not look like injuries are going to cut short/hamper his career as he hits his prime. The Demon's flatter strokes naturally conserve energy as well. His stamina will get considerably better over the next few years and he's going to be a brutal player to deal with.

Stat of the Day: Alex de Minaur, who was 0-18 against Top 5 players, defeats No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in Paris | Tennis.com
The Australian battled back from a break down in the third set to get his first win in 19 tries against the Top 5.
12‑Feb‑2024 | Rotterdam | Hard | F | L | 4 | (1)Jannik Sinner [ITA] d. (5)De Minaur | 7-5 6-4 |
12‑Feb‑2024 | Rotterdam | Hard | QF | W | 5 | (5)De Minaur d. (2)Andrey Rublev [RUS] | 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3 |
15‑Jan‑2024 | Australian Open | Hard | R16 | L | 5 | (5)Andrey Rublev [RUS] d. (10)De Minaur | 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 |
1‑Jan‑2024 | United Cup | Hard | SF | W | 7 | De Minaur d. Alexander Zverev [GER] | 5-7 6-3 6-4 |
1‑Jan‑2024 | United Cup | Hard | QF | W | 1 | De Minaur d. Novak Djokovic [SRB] | 6-4 6-4 |
1‑Jan‑2024 | United Cup | Hard | RR | W | 10 | De Minaur d. Taylor Fritz [USA] | 6-4 6-2 |
30-10-2023 | Paris Masters | Hard (i) | QF | L | Andrey Rublev (5) d. Alex De Minaur (13) | 4-6 6-3 6-1 | Stats |
30-10-2023 | Paris Masters | Hard (i) | R16 | W | Alex De Minaur (13) d. Jannik Sinner (4) | W/O | |
28-09-2023 | Beijing | Hard | R16 | L | Daniil Medvedev (2) d. Alex De Minaur | 7-6(3) 6-3 | Stats |
28-08-2023 | US Open | Hard | R16 | L | Daniil Medvedev (3) d. Alex De Minaur (13) | 2-6 6-4 6-1 6-2 | |
07-08-2023 | Toronto Masters | Hard | F | L | Jannik Sinner (7) d. Alex De Minaur | 6-4 6-1 | Stats |
07-08-2023 | Toronto Masters | Hard | QF | W | Alex De Minaur d. Daniil Medvedev (2) | 7-6(7) 7-5 | |
07-08-2023 | Toronto Masters | Hard | R16 | W | Alex De Minaur d. Taylor Harry Fritz (8) | 7-6(7) 4-6 6-1 | Stats |
31-07-2023 | Los Cabos | Hard | F | L | Stefanos Tsitsipas (1) d. Alex De Minaur (5) | 6-3 6-4 | Stats |
19-06-2023 | London | Grass | F | L | Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (1) d. Alex De Minaur (7) | 6-4 6-4 | Stats |
19-06-2023 | London | Grass | SF | W | Alex De Minaur (7) d. Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (2) | 6-3 7-6(2) | Stats |
17-04-2023 | Barcelona | Clay | QF | L | Stefanos Tsitsipas (2) d. Alex De Minaur (8) | 6-4 6-2 | Stats |
27-02-2023 | Acapulco | Hard | SF | W | Alex De Minaur (8) d. Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (4) | 3-6 7-5 6-2 | Stats |
13-02-2023 | Rotterdam | Hard (i) | R32 | W | Alex De Minaur d. Andrey Rublev (2) | 6-4 6-4 | Stats |
16-01-2023 | Australian Open | Hard | R16 | L | Novak Djokovic (4) d. Alex De Minaur (22) | 6-2 6-1 6-2 | |
02-01-2023 | United Cup | Hard | RR | W | Alex De Minaur (7) d. Rafael Nadal (4) | 3-6 6-1 7-5 |
With his return game nicely lifting starting in 2023 and now the serve game seems a bit better (still not great) in 2024 De Minaur is beating top 10 players with regularity and only the best servers seem to be able to keep him at arms length.
He seems on course to make tour finals and with his improved movement and stamina he's a player you don't want in your draw.
I've been ignoring him, but watching him play in 2024 he's very close to the level of Nadal, Murray, and prime Djokovic for movement and perhaps a touch more tenacity. What is worse is if you try to break out of the rallies with him by injecting pace well you're just playing into his hands as De Minaur excels at counter punching and using his opponent's power. I think like his mentor, Lleyton Hewitt, Alex will always be serve deprived, but unlike Hewitt he does not look like injuries are going to cut short/hamper his career as he hits his prime. The Demon's flatter strokes naturally conserve energy as well. His stamina will get considerably better over the next few years and he's going to be a brutal player to deal with.