Alex de Minaur lost another major quarter-final. He’s already thinking of how to get better
“Sometimes we see him miss balls quite easily. I notice that and we know how to approach the game because let’s say we are one step ahead in this situation.”
Ah. But just a few minutes later, de Minaur admitted the same thing.
But the Australian’s next words were instructive about why he continues to climb the tennis ladder and why it can be dangerous to doubt that he won’t find a way to get better again. He has a reputation for finding ways to improve incrementally and has clearly taken a step forward this summer; Just ask Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Bublik.
Carlos Alcaraz’s candid assessment of Alex de Minaur: “We see that he misses the ball quite easily.”Credit: Christopher Hopkins
De Minaur’s next challenge will be to become comfortable where he is currently uncomfortable. He hinted that this could mean that traditionally flat groundstrokes could begin to make a comeback.
“[I need to make] There are some tweaks that will allow me to increase my ball speed, as my natural swing from the ground is pretty flat and that’s quite difficult for me,” de Minaur said. “Playing at a very high ball speed carries a lot of risk for me.
“Jannik [Sinner] and Carlos has so much spin on the ball that not only can they play at a higher pace, but they can also get consistency because they can get the spin that helps the ball go down and create different angles. “There are things I need to look at, see and try to figure out.”
De Minaur’s quest for a major semi-final would be greatly aided if he can manage to reach the top four, which would eliminate the possibility of facing Alcaraz or Sinner in the last eight.
But neither Alexander Zverev nor 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic look set to make any changes anytime soon, despite their greatly shortened schedules; Lorenzo Musetti managed to leave de Minaur behind and enter the top five. There are also others like Shelton who are trying to surpass “Demon.”
He’s playing with big players, and although Minaur isn’t entirely happy with his fate, that’s an achievement in itself.
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What De Minaur should be pleased with is that he’s still getting better, which is a good sign that he’s aware of the situation. From where There is a gap between him and the tour elite.
Australian Open winners over the years include some of tennis’ biggest names, from Djokovic and Rafael Nadal to Sinner and Alcaraz. This may serve as a reality check, but it’s also proof that overall it takes the absolute best to defeat him.
But does he still believe after falling short to another member of tennis royalty?
“You have to keep moving. It’s the only way,” De Minaur said. “When you get results like that, no matter how hard it is, you get up, you get on the horse, that’s it.”
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