Alex de Minaur wins Newcombe Medal for fourth time
Alex de Minaur continues Ash Barty’s Newcombe Medal career haul after claiming Tennis Australia’s prized individual award for the fourth time overall and third year in a row.
Australia’s standout player, world No. 7 de Minaur, who is among the world’s top 10 players, was the obvious choice as this year’s Newcombe medalist after reaching his sixth career grand slam quarter-final at the US Open and a place in the last four of the season-ending ATP Finals.
Alex De Minaur was playing in London on Sunday, hours before he won a fourth Newcombe medal in Australia.Credit: Getty Images
De Minaur, 26, first broke into the upper echelon of men’s tennis early last year and is knocking on the door of the world’s top five. The plucky right-hander lost in four sets to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last eight in New York, arguably his best chance of reaching his first grand slam semi-final.
Alongside women’s world No. 32 Maya Joint and Australia’s Daria Kataskina (who is also ranked in the WTA top 40), de Minaur will spearhead domestic hopes at next month’s Australian Open, where she will take on arch-rival world No. 2 Jannik Sinner for a third consecutive title.
Kimberly Birrell at the Newcombe Medal awards night Monday.Credit: Getty Images for Tennis Australia
De Minaur is the sole Newcombe Medal winner in 2023, 2024 and 2025, benefiting from five-time champion Barty’s retirement from tennis three years ago when the then world No 1 and reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion left the sport at her peak.
This year’s “Newk” nominees included male players Adam Walton and Tristan Schoolkate, as well as WTA players Joint, Priscilla Hon and Kimberly Birrell, who are among the world’s top 100.
De Minaur’s first Newcombe Medal came seven years ago, when the former world No.1 shared the award with Barty as she embarked on her WTA tour.
De Minaur’s career success this year has seen him display customary stamina as he beat top 10 rival Taylor Fritz, his first victory at the season-ending championships, to book a place in the last four of last month’s ATP Finals in Turin.
