Alex de Minaur Surpasses Pat Rafter With Historic Masters 1000 Milestone, Only Australian Behind Lleyton Hewitt
Alex de Minaur Surpasses Pat Rafter with Historic 48 Wins in 2025, Only Australian After Lleyton Hewitt
Alex de Minaur etched his name into Australian tennis history on October 4, 2025, by securing his 48th tour-level win of the season with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 second-round victory over qualifier Camilo Ugo Carabelli at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. This milestone makes him the first Australian man since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to reach 48 victories in a single year, surpassing Pat Rafter’s modern-era achievements and joining an elite club that includes Hewitt as the only Aussie to hit this mark in over two decades. De Minaur’s hard-court dominance now leads the ATP with 35 wins on the surface, edging out Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz (both at 34), and positions him seventh in the Race to Turin for the ATP Finals.
The Match: Clinical Efficiency in 88 Minutes
As the No. 7 seed, de Minaur faced no break points and converted three of nine opportunities against Carabelli, wrapping up the 88-minute encounter without dropping serve. Post-match, he reflected on the achievement: “I’m happy with myself. It’s a great achievement to show the consistency.” Next, he faces Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, who upset No. 29 seed Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-0.
This caps a strong Asian swing for de Minaur, following a China Open semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner (6-3, 4-6, 6-2), his 11th straight defeat to the Italian. The win aligns with his recent serve tweaks, boosting first-serve efficiency to counter elite opponents like Sinner and Alcaraz (0-4 head-to-head).
Surpassing Rafter: A Historic Australian Feat
De Minaur’s 48 wins surpass his previous highs of 47 in 2022 and 2024, making him the first Australian man to achieve this since Hewitt in 2004. While Pat Rafter, a two-time US Open champion, had strong Masters 1000 showings (e.g., finals in Toronto and Indian Wells), de Minaur’s seasonal consistency now edges him in this metric, joining Hewitt as the only Aussies to hit 48+ wins post-2000. De Minaur’s hard-court prowess (35 wins, tour-leading) reflects his speed and counterpunching, honed under coach Adriaan van den Berghem.
Next Steps: Eyes on ATP Finals
At seventh in the Race to Turin, de Minaur’s Shanghai progress strengthens his second straight ATP Finals berth. A deep run could push his prize money past $4 million and solidify a top-5 year-end ranking. Amid court speed debates (he noted Shanghai’s “very slow” conditions), de Minaur’s consistency shines, proving his mettle in a post-Hewitt era for Aussie men.
