Despite being World No. 7 and reaching the semifinals of the ATP Finals, Alex de Minaur knows a painful truth: to win the biggest titles, he must solve the unsolvable puzzle of Sincaraz. After going 0-5 against Carlos Alcaraz and 0-13 against Jannik Sinner, his focus now shifts to a massive summer at home, as De Minaur is determined to flip the script.

Ahead of his United Cup appearance, the Australian laid out his mindset as shared by @TennisONEApp on X.

“There’s no other way than getting better, right? You ultimately have to bridge the gap,” he acknowledged the challenge head-on.

De Minaur admitted he needs to add new weapons and find different ways to hurt the Spaniard and the Italian, who have split the last eight Grand Slam titles. Alex de Minaur is still searching for a deeper breakthrough at Grand Slams, having yet to move past the quarterfinal stage. He believes the gap is narrowing, pointing out that his recent matches against the very best have been extremely tight.

“I’ve played some very close matches the last couple years with both, and you feel like you’re getting closer and closer.”

That belief has pushed de Minaur toward a more aggressive mindset. He admitted he’s focused on discovering different ways to pressure elite opponents and isn’t afraid to adjust his approach.

“You gotta work on your game, find new weapons. For me, it’s finding different ways to hurt these players. I am trying to be ready to take more risks and be a little bit more of a disruptor.”

Known across the tour as one of the hardest workers, de Minaur often plays more matches than most of his rivals. Looking ahead to 2026, he wants that workload to shift, but only for the right reasons.

His goal is to play fewer weeks because he’s going deeper into the biggest tournaments, not because he’s stepping away from competition.

In an interview with The Guardian, de Minaur emphasized the importance of balance as he builds toward the Australian Open. He said the priority is arriving in Melbourne fresh and ready, while being careful not to “get too burnt out.” Ideally, he’d like to “play less,” but only if strong results allow him to do so.

To support that push, de Minaur is putting extra focus on physical development, including working with a new fitness trainer ahead of the Australian Open on January 18.

However, even before the tournament begins, he’s already earned backing from Nick Kyrgios, who has tipped him to challenge tennis’s rising “New Two” at the top of the game.

Why Alex de Minaur is no longer just a dark horse

After another impressive season, Alex de Minaur received his fourth Newcombe Medal at Australian tennis’s biggest annual awards night in Melbourne. Only Ash Barty has claimed the honor more times, and de Minaur has now moved past Samantha Stosur’s streak of three straight medals.

Alex’s 2025 campaign included a semifinal appearance at the ATP Finals, placing him alongside Lleyton Hewitt and John Newcombe as the only Australians to reach that stage. He also remained the only Australian man since Hewitt to crack the top 10. Even Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, never rose higher than No. 13.

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While Kyrgios believes it may be too soon to label de Minaur a future Grand Slam champion, he sees him firmly in the mix among the tour’s elite.

“Demon’s doing an amazing job, to be honest. He’s a genuine contender, I think. Maybe not at a grand slam over best of five with the way Alcaraz and Sinner are playing right now. But if one of those guys go down early, I would say that Demon’s one of the other three or four people that genuinely has a chance to do it,” the 671st-ranked player exclaimed.

Kyrgios also praised de Minaur’s relentless intensity and commitment. He highlighted how hard he works and said his competitiveness and work ethic are “second to none,” noting that those qualities set him apart on the tour.

With that endorsement from one of Australia’s most recognizable tennis figures, de Minaur now turns his attention to the Australian Open. Playing at home, fans will be eager to see whether this season’s momentum can translate into the deep Grand Slam run they’ve been waiting for.

Now, time will confirm if Alex de Minaur can really close the gap on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner when it matters most?