Alex de Minaur Jokes About ‘Not Liking’ Rivals After Rotterdam Open Defeat
Alex de Minaur humorously admitted he’s growing frustrated with his rivals after finishing as the Rotterdam Open runner-up for the second consecutive year.
Carlos Alcaraz secured his first indoor title on Sunday, defeating the Australian 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in a hard-fought final. It was déjà vu for De Minaur, who also lost last year’s championship match to Jannik Sinner.
The world No. 6 had stormed through the draw without dropping a set, dominating opponents and keeping his matches relatively short. But in the final, Alcaraz weathered a second-set dip and raised his level in the decider, denying De Minaur the title once again.
Taking to Instagram after the match, De Minaur playfully expressed his frustration. “Ahhhhhh I don’t like you either @carlitosalcarazz. Another great week here in @abnamroopen, I’ll get the title one day,” he wrote.
Fans quickly noticed the similarity to his caption from last year when Sinner defeated him in the final: “I don’t like you anymore @janniksin,” he had joked back then.
The Aussie continued the lighthearted banter in an Instagram story, adding, “Starting not to like too many players on tour,” alongside laughing emojis.
Despite the loss, De Minaur acknowledged that playing Alcaraz was a more manageable challenge than facing Sinner. “I can target him and make his life difficult,” he explained. “With Jannik, it’s definitely different—I haven’t managed to do anything yet.”
He also reflected on the tactical variety in tennis, noting, “That’s the beauty of the sport—there are different styles of play. At the highest level, the best player should win, but certain styles can be more difficult to handle than others.”
De Minaur could soon get another shot at both Alcaraz and Sinner, as all three are set to compete at the Qatar Open in Doha next week. The tournament, upgraded to an ATP 500 event, kicks off on De Minaur’s birthday next Monday and features a stacked draw, including Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
