Alex de Minaur, the indefatigable “Demon” of Australian tennis, has set his sights even higher after achieving a rare career milestone: becoming just the third man on the ATP Tour to reach 50 wins in 2025, a feat that cements his status as the country’s most consistent performer since Lleyton Hewitt. The 26-year-old world No. 7 accomplished this with a tenacious 7-5, 6-2 third-round victory over Nuno Borges at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on October 8, advancing to the quarterfinals and tying Taylor Fritz for the season’s second-most wins behind Carlos Alcaraz’s staggering 67. “It’s an amazing number—I’m hoping for many more to finish off the year,” de Minaur told Tennis TV post-match, his voice laced with quiet determination. For de Minaur, 50 isn’t the endpoint; it’s fuel for his ultimate ambition—a top-5 ranking and a deep run at the 2026 Australian Open, where seeding could finally unlock his Slam breakthrough.
The Borges Battle: Grit in the Shanghai Heat
De Minaur’s milestone win was anything but straightforward, a 1-hour, 47-minute grind that tested his mental fortitude amid Shanghai’s oppressive 32°C heat and 70% humidity. Borges, the Portuguese left-hander ranked No. 42 and fresh off upsetting No. 29 seed Brandon Nakashima, came out firing, saving three break points in the first set before de Minaur converted his fourth at 5-5 for a 7-5 edge after 47 minutes. The Australian’s backhand winner down the line on match point was a highlight, but it was his second-set dominance—19 winners, 10 unforced errors, and two breaks for 6-2—that sealed the deal.
Holding serve at 78% efficiency without facing a single break point, de Minaur’s recent serve upgrades under coach Adriaan van den Berghem shone through, blending power with pinpoint placement. “I had to fight hard today—it was a very big mental effort,” he said, crediting his team’s tweaks for sustaining him in the conditions that have felled rivals like Jannik Sinner (cramps retirement) and Holger Rune (medical timeout). Next up is a quarterfinal against either Daniil Medvedev or Learner Tien—a potential rematch with the Russian, against whom de Minaur is 0-4 but showed fight in Beijing.
The Rare Feat: Third Man to 50 Wins, Australia’s Pride
De Minaur’s 50-17 record (74.6% win rate) surpasses his previous highs of 47 in 2022 and 2024, making him the first Australian man since Hewitt’s 52 in 2004 to hit the mark—a drought spanning two decades. He joins an elite trio for 2025: Alcaraz (67 wins, eight titles including Wimbledon and US Open) and Fritz (50 wins, US Open finalist). Notably, Sinner trails with 42 hard-court wins despite his Australian Open and Wimbledon triumphs, giving de Minaur a rare edge over the world No. 2.
This consistency—seven Masters 1000 quarterfinals, including Shanghai’s third straight—has de Minaur seventh in the Race to Turin, locked for his second ATP Finals appearance. “Showing up every single week fills me with pride,” he reflected, a nod to his journey from junior promise to tour mainstay. As the first Aussie to lead hard-court wins (37, ahead of Alcaraz and Fritz at 34), de Minaur’s feat revives national hopes, eclipsing Pat Rafter’s modern-era records and positioning him as Hewitt’s heir.
| Player | 2025 Total Wins | Hard-Court Wins | Key 2025 Feats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz | 67 | 34 | Wimbledon, US Open, Japan Open titles |
| Alex de Minaur | 50 | 37 (Tour-leading) | Acapulco defense, China Open SF, Shanghai QF |
| Taylor Fritz | 50 | 34 | US Open finalist, Masters consistency |
| Jannik Sinner | 62 | 42 | Australian Open, Wimbledon titles |
Aiming for More: Top-5 Ranking and Aus Open Glory
De Minaur’s immediate goal? Crack the top 5, just 495 points from No. 5 Novak Djokovic. A Shanghai semifinal would seal it, granting a seeded draw at the 2026 Australian Open (January 12-26)—his white whale, where he’s reached quarters twice but met Sinner early in 2025 (6-3, 6-2, 6-1). “It would make things much easier,” de Minaur told Tennis Australia. “You avoid the big guns too soon, and that buys you matches to build rhythm.” With 37 hard-court wins already, seeding could propel him to semifinals or better, chasing the $3.15 million prize and national redemption.
His Shanghai momentum—48 wins vs. Carabelli, 50 vs. Borges—shows the blueprint in action. “Hoping for many more,” he said, eyeing Paris-Bercy (October 27) and the ATP Finals. As the first Aussie to 50 since Hewitt, de Minaur’s “amazing number” isn’t a peak—it’s a launchpad. The Demon’s 2025 grind is rewriting history; 2026 Down Under could be his coronation.
