Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has his sights set on “bigger and better things” after falling short in the Rotterdam Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, but the result has again highlighted a sobering truth about his standing among the sport’s elite.
For the second consecutive year, de Minaur reached the final of the prestigious ATP 500 tournament in the Netherlands—only to fall to a Grand Slam champion. In 2024, it was Jannik Sinner, the current World No.1. In 2025, it was World No.3 Alcaraz who denied him the title.
The last—and only—Australian to win the Rotterdam event remains Lleyton Hewitt in 2004. Hewitt, now serving as de Minaur’s part-time coach and longtime mentor, even welcomed the rising star into his family home in the early days of his career.
A Pattern of Narrow Misses
De Minaur’s Rotterdam loss marks the sixth time he has fallen in a final against a top-10 opponent. Previous defeats in title matches have come at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Roger Federer, and Alexander Zverev, underlining the challenge he still faces in breaking through at the highest level.
Despite this, the 25-year-old has had a strong start to 2025, reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time and climbing to a career-high World No.6, overtaking major champions like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
Yet, his record against top-tier players remains a concern:
- 0-10 vs. Jannik Sinner
- 0-3 vs. Carlos Alcaraz
- 1-2 vs. Novak Djokovic
- 3-7 vs. Daniil Medvedev
- 2-8 vs. Alexander Zverev
He’s found more success against others in the top 10:
- 5-5 vs. Taylor Fritz (World No.4)
- 2-0 vs. Casper Ruud (No.5)
- 5-0 vs. Tommy Paul (No.9)
De Minaur Reflects on Final Loss
Despite the defeat, de Minaur remained upbeat, highlighting both his progress and the lingering gap between himself and the game’s best.
“It’s been two years now with this runner-up trophy—hopefully I’ll get my hands on the winner’s one day,” he said after the final.
“It’s a week to be proud of. I’ve been struggling with illness off the court, so I’m happy with the effort and level I showed. I had my chances today, but Carlos played well in the big moments and deserved the win.”
The Grand Slam Question
Following his quarter-final exit to Sinner at the Australian Open, de Minaur offered a candid take on his Grand Slam ambitions:
“Tennis is so much about matchups. Right now, my worst matchup on tour is probably Jannik [Sinner]. The head-to-head doesn’t lie.
If I get a different draw, different section—who knows? I don’t think my ceiling is just making the quarters. I’ve seen others go further, and I believe I can be among them. If they’ve done it, why not me?”
The Big Picture
De Minaur’s consistent rise and determination are clear, but his struggles against the sport’s best continue to be a roadblock. As he pushes for that elusive breakthrough, the tennis world watches closely to see whether he can one day emulate his mentor and finally claim a major title
