Alex de Minaur pinpoints the big change he’s made on clay over the last two years and what he ‘finally’ understands now
Alex de Minaur has made a strong impression at the Monte Carlo Masters, advancing to the quarter-finals after an impressive win over ninth seed Daniil Medvedev. The Australian, seeded eighth, is aiming for his 10th ATP title and has opened up about the big changes he’s made to improve his clay-court game.
In a recent interview with Tennis Channel, the 26-year-old reflected on his growth and growing comfort on the surface.
“I’ve really found my feet over the last couple of years and started to understand what makes me effective on clay,” De Minaur said. “In the early years, I wasn’t very effective. I wasn’t comfortable.”
Now, De Minaur believes he’s developed the tools needed to compete at a high level on clay — a surface where he’s previously struggled.
“The biggest difference is obviously height, spin. Natural groundstrokes are heavier. I’ve had to add more variety — speed, height, angles, depth — and still stay aggressive. On hard courts, my flat shots work well, but on clay, that’s just not enough.”
De Minaur will next face 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals as he looks to break new ground in his career.
De Minaur’s ATP Titles by Surface:
| Year | Tournament | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Acapulco | Grass, Hard |
| 2023 | Acapulco | Hard |
| 2022 | Atlanta | Hard |
| 2021 | Eastbourne, Antalya | Grass, Hard |
| 2019 | Zhuhai, Atlanta, Sydney | Hard |
So far, seven of De Minaur’s nine titles have come on hard courts, with two on grass. A title at Monte Carlo would be his first-ever on clay and mark a major milestone in his evolving career. Ranked No. 10 in the world, with a career-high of No. 6, De Minaur appears ready to add clay-court credibility to his résumé in 2025.
