Alex de Minaur may not have beaten Jannik Sinner on a tennis court yet, but he’s now attempting it… off the court.
The Australian star, winless in seven career meetings against the current World No.1, lit up social media this week after delivering a tongue-in-cheek roast of the Italian — perfectly timed, perfectly brutal, and very on-brand for their friendly rivalry.
The viral moment
During an ATP media segment titled “Rate Your Rival”, players were asked to score opponents in different categories — speed, fashion, shot selection, TikTok potential and more.
When Sinner’s name popped up, De Minaur didn’t hold back:
“Backhand? 10/10. Forehand? 10/10. Results against me? Annoyingly perfect.”
Then, with a grin that told a different story, he added:
“Movement is solid… but don’t ask him to dance at a wedding.”
The room erupted. Sinner himself, sitting two seats away, laughed and fired back immediately:
“At least I can dance better than your serve return when you play me.”
Australians call it sledging. Italians call it spice. Tennis fans call it content.
The rivalry — one-sided, but entertaining
Despite De Minaur’s digs, the scoreboard firmly belongs to Sinner:
| Player | Head-to-head wins |
|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 7 |
| Alex de Minaur | 0 |
They most recently met at the Paris Masters 2025, where Sinner won 6-3, 6-4 in a match that was closer than the scoreline suggested, but still frustratingly familiar territory for the Australian.
Their stylistic contrast makes the matchup compelling: De Minaur’s elite speed and defence vs Sinner’s bullet-like court aggression and laser timing.
What makes it even better? The mutual respect hidden behind the trash talk.
Fans react
Social media instantly exploded with mixed verdicts:
- “Bro is 0–7 and still talking like he’s 7–0 😭”
- “De Minaur is the most humble menace on tour.”
- “Sinner laughed because he knows it’s the only time Alex beats him — in jokes.”
Even Katie Boulter, De Minaur’s fiancée, joined in, commenting under the clip:
“He’s unstoppable… in interviews 😌.”
Beneath the banter, a battle worth watching
Despite the one-way record, their clashes have never lacked quality. Tennis analysts continue to highlight De Minaur as one of the few players capable of forcing Sinner into physical, grinding rallies — even if he hasn’t found the knockout blow yet.
Former pro Sam Groth joked on commentary:
“Alex can sprint like a Ferrari. Jannik hits like one. The problem is, he’s driving the faster Ferrari.”
Moral of the story?
De Minaur may not have solved the Sinner puzzle on the court, but he clearly enjoys trying to win the mental match in the public arena.
And if sheer entertainment counted toward ATP rankings…
He might finally be 1–0
