Alex de Minaur reacts as he reaches ‘amazing’ year-long achievement following his latest win in China
Alex de Minaur Reaches ‘Amazing’ 50-Win Milestone in 2025 After Shanghai Masters Victory
Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has etched another chapter in his breakout 2025 season, securing his **50th tour-level win of the year** with a gritty 7-5, 6-2 second-round triumph over Nuno Borges at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on October 8. The victory, which took 1 hour and 47 minutes, catapults de Minaur into the quarterfinals and marks him as just the third man to reach 50 wins this season, behind only Carlos Alcaraz (67) and Taylor Fritz (50). Reflecting on the achievement, de Minaur called it “amazing,” emphasizing the consistency that has defined his campaign: “I’m happy with myself. It’s a great achievement to show the consistency.”
The Match: A Fighting Display in Shanghai’s Heat
Seeded seventh, de Minaur faced a resilient Borges, who pushed him to the brink in the first set, saving three break points before de Minaur converted on his fourth at 5-5 for a 7-5 edge. The Australian then unleashed 19 winners and just 10 unforced errors in the second, breaking Borges twice to close 6-2 and advance to his seventh ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the year. His 78% first-serve points won and zero breaks conceded underscored the serve tweaks that have added power to his counterpunching game.
Next, de Minaur awaits the winner of Daniil Medvedev vs. Learner Tien in the last eight—a potential rematch with the Russian, who beat him in Beijing’s semifinals. The win also extends his hard-court dominance, giving him a tour-leading 37 victories on the surface this season.
De Minaur’s Reaction: Pride in Consistency
Post-match, de Minaur beamed with pride, telling Tennis TV: “For me, it just shows consistency, right, and that’s what I’m most proud of—showing up every single week. It’s an amazing number; I’m hoping for many more to finish off the year.” He added a nod to the mental grind: “I told myself at the start of the week it was going to be a very big mental effort… so I’m happy to be in the quarters and give myself another opportunity.”
This milestone surpasses his previous best of 47 wins in 2022 and 2024, making him the first Australian man since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to hit 50 in a season—surpassing Pat Rafter’s modern-era records. De Minaur, now seventh in the Race to Turin, strengthens his bid for a second straight ATP Finals appearance.
A Season of Milestones: De Minaur’s 2025 Surge
De Minaur’s 2025 has been a revelation, blending resilience with results:
– **Australian Open**: Quarterfinal loss to Jannik Sinner (6-3, 6-2, 6-1), but a strong start with 34 hard-court wins (tour-leading).
– **Rotterdam**: Finalist, pushing Alcaraz to three sets.
– **Acapulco**: Defended his 2024 title, beating Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-5.
– **China Open**: Semifinalist, taking a set off Sinner for the first time since 2020.
– **Shanghai Masters**: Ongoing quarterfinal run, with 50 wins secured.
His 50-17 overall record (74.6% win rate) and career-high No. 6 peak in July reflect the maturity honed under coach Adriaan van den Berghem. Despite lopsided head-to-heads—0-11 vs. Sinner, 0-4 vs. Alcaraz—de Minaur’s consistency has him eyeing a top-5 year-end finish.
| Player | 2025 Total Wins | Hard-Court Wins | Key Achievement |
|——–|—————–|—————–|—————–|
| Alex de Minaur | 50 | 37 (Tour-leading) | Shanghai QF; first Aussie to 50 wins since Hewitt (2004) |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 67 | 34 | Japan Open, US Open titles |
| Jannik Sinner | 62 | 34 | Australian Open, Wimbledon titles |
| Taylor Fritz | 50 | 34 | US Open finalist |
Looking Ahead: ATP Finals on the Horizon
De Minaur’s Shanghai momentum could propel him toward Paris-Bercy (October 27) and the ATP Finals in Turin (November 10-17), where he’s locked for a second appearance. “Every match is important,” he said, taking it “match by match.” As the first Australian in two decades to hit 50 wins, de Minaur’s “amazing” season cements his status as the tour’s most reliable force—proof that consistency is the ultimate game-changer.
