Alex de Minaur explains the ‘crucial’ decision he made ahead of Wimbledon, ‘it’s been a long time brewing’

Alex de Minaur, Australia’s top-ranked male tennis player and world No. 11, revealed a pivotal decision to take a rare break from tennis following a mentally and physically draining second-round exit at the 2025 French Open, where he lost to Alexander Bublik in five sets (7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4). Speaking to *The Tennis Gazette* on June 30, 2025, de Minaur explained, “I was able to take a step back, accept what had happened and put myself first for the first time in a while. And I think that was quite crucial, even though it didn’t bring out the result I wanted in Queen’s.” This break, which he described as “a long time brewing,” involved skipping the Rosmalen grass-court event in the Netherlands, a title he won in 2024, to prioritize recovery over defending ranking points, a choice that cost him his top-10 status.[](https://www.thetennisgazette.com/news/alex-de-minaur-explains-the-crucial-decision-he-made-ahead-of-wimbledon-its-been-a-long-time-brewing/)

The decision came after de Minaur admitted to being “mentally drained and fatigued” from the relentless tennis schedule, compounded by a shoulder issue that had lingered since Paris. “It wasn’t only the mind, but the body that was a little battered up,” he told *Tennis Australia* on June 17, 2025. Instead of obsessing over tennis, he embraced a “normal human being” lifestyle, enjoying coffees, dinners, and golf with his fiancée, Katie Boulter, in London. This reset, though, led to a lackluster first-round loss to Jiri Lehecka (6-4, 6-2) at Queen’s Club on June 17, 2025, raising concerns about his Wimbledon readiness, as noted by *The Guardian*. Former Australian Open finalist John Lloyd criticized the timing, stating, “It’s not the best time to take a break, between two slams,” highlighting de Minaur’s lack of match practice.[](https://www.tennis.com.au/news/2025/06/17/de-minaurs-crucial-reboot-ahead-of-queens)[](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/17/alex-de-minaur-crashes-out-of-queens-to-leave-cloud-over-wimbledon-challenge)[](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/17/alex-de-minaur-crashes-out-of-queens-to-leave-cloud-over-wimbledon-challenge)

Despite the Queen’s setback, de Minaur expressed confidence ahead of his Wimbledon opener against Roberto Carballes Baena on July 1, 2025, saying, “I feel refreshed, I feel full of energy. And now it’s up to my tennis to do the talking… I’m ready to go.” His grass-court record (32-18, 64% win rate) and 2024 Wimbledon quarter-final run, halted by a hip injury, bolster his optimism. Facing a potential fourth-round clash with Novak Djokovic, whom he missed playing in 2024 due to injury, de Minaur’s new mindset—less focused on rankings and more on enjoying tennis—aims to propel him past last year’s disappointment. Fans on X, like @TheFirstServeAU, underscored the importance of this tournament for de Minaur, calling it “arguably the most important of his career to date.”