If there’s one thing people can count on, it’s that Alex de Minaur is just going to keep on getting better and better.
The 20-year-old’s constant search for improvement in all parts of his game has carried him to a career-high ranking of 18 in the world and resulted in some impressive performances throughout the 2019 season as well as last week in the inaugural ATP Cup, where he defeated world No.7 Alexander Zverev and world No.14 Denis Shapovalov, before taking a set off of world No.1 Rafael Nadal.
A three-time ATP titlist already, the Sydney-born De Minaur was “devastated” to announce his withdrawal from this week’s Adelaide International, having aggravated an abdominal injury, but is proud of the progress he has made so far with his game, and is eyeing more in 2020.
“I feel like I’ve had a great week there [in the ATP Cup], I played some great tennis and lots to learn from,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Monday.
Day one was filled with lots of highlights, but we've found the best 5 moments for you to enjoy… #AdelaideTennis #Rally4Resilience pic.twitter.com/qswjl24d70
— Adelaide International (@AdelaideTennis) January 13, 2020
“It’s a level that I knew I could bring and it’s a level that I need to bring out every time I step out on court, so plenty to learn from and I’m very excited about what’s to come.”
Renowned for his incredible speed on the court, De Minaur has been surprising his opponents in recent months with all the new elements he’s been adding to his game, like a bigger serve and a more aggressive style.
“I’ve used a lot of stuff that people have told me that I wasn’t able to do and I used that as drive and motivation to improve in those areas,” he explains.
“I’ve often been told that I don’t have the weapons to sort of beat these higher level guys, so I think I’ve showed that I’ve got another part of my game that I can go to. Just overall mentally, physically, it’s a constant work in progress and I’m going to keep on improving and keep on getting better and hopefully keep on breaking barriers.”
While De Minaur won’t be able to showcase his talent at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre this week, there will still be many Aussies to cheer for by local fans, including Jordan Thompson, who commences his Adelaide campaign on Monday evening alongside Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt in doubles.
The 25-year-old Thompson, who faces Alberto Ramos-Vinolas in his singles opener on Tuesday, is in awe of De Minaur and his rapid rise, especially that he’s had a front-row seat for it from the start.
“When we were younger I tried to help him [De Minaur] out as much as possible. I’m a few years older than him and I think he looked up to me and now I’m looking up to him,” Thompson told adelaideinternational.com.au.
“What he does on the court is unreal and what he does off it as well, he works his butt off. I’m proud of where he is and I just want to try and be like him every week.
“Last year he turned his year around, he had a great start then through the middle it wasn’t going as well but he turned it around in style at the end of last year, played unreal, made the final of Basel and the final of the Next Gen and won all his matches for us in Davis Cup, he’s been outstanding the last couple of years.”
On his part, Thompson is thrilled to be back playing on Australia’s blue courts, and is keen to play his first-ever singles match in Adelaide.
The Sydneysider reached the highest ranking of his career so far last year by rising to 43 in the world and made his maiden ATP final on the grass courts of s-Hertogenbosch in June. Thompson hopes to build on that in 2020.
“I’ll try and re-enter the top 50. Last year I think I only played two Challengers, so hopefully limit the amount of Challengers, but if I have to go back there, that’s fine,” stated the world No.25. “I noticed [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga played a few last year and he’s an unbelievable player, so it’s no shame going back to the Challengers and playing some matches. Hopefully more at tour event level and get back into the top 50.”