Alex de Minaur’s Relentless Fitness Leaves Even His Team Struggling to Keep Up
Few can match Alex de Minaur when it comes to endurance and speed. In fact, those who attempt to keep up with him in training often end up sick, injured, or utterly frustrated—a reality his team, including physio Emilio Poveda, knows all too well.
Training at Full Throttle
“In the last preseason, during a court session in Monaco, his coach Adolfo Gutierrez tried to run a 30-meter sprint alongside him—not to win, because that’s impossible, but just to push Alex a little,” recalls Poveda. “Adolfo pulled his hamstring. It wasn’t serious, but it took him a few weeks to recover.”
Poveda himself has learned firsthand how brutal De Minaur’s training can be. Despite maintaining his own fitness, he struggled to keep up, even after intensifying his own workouts just to train alongside the Aussie. The result? He ended up on the sidelines.
“Now we have a second fitness coach, Fran, who’s a friend of mine. We take turns training with Alex—one of us runs one part of a session, the other takes the next—but he still beats us every time,” says Poveda. “Just the other day, I did a 400-meter sprint session with him, and I felt awful the next day. I was sick for a week. He’s injuring all of us!”
A Next-Level Athlete
Ranked No. 11 in the PIF ATP Rankings, De Minaur is widely recognized as one of the fittest players on the ATP Tour. His speed, endurance, and explosiveness set him apart, allowing him to recover faster than most after a shot, a rally, a match, or even an entire tournament swing.
His agility is reflected in T-Test results, a standard speed and movement drill. “It’s a 10-meter sprint forward, then five meters side to side,” Poveda explains. “Alex clocks under 10 seconds—almost nine. So far, we haven’t found another player who even comes close.”
While some of his ability is natural, much of it is the result of relentless hard work.
“Fitness training has been a key part of my career, especially over the last four or five years,” says De Minaur. “The work never stops—that’s the only way to improve. You don’t just get better by practicing your technique.”
Even on days when he’s exhausted or unmotivated, the 26-year-old Australian pushes through.
A Relentless Mentality
“When he’s struggling, he still performs,” recalls Poveda. “I remember a couple of years ago, he was pushing himself to the limit and feeling dizzy. I joked, ‘Alex, you’re too delicate,’ but he just kept going. He’s able to suffer in training so that he doesn’t have to suffer on court.”
That determination has helped him transform his body from a wiry 67–68kg when he first joined the Tour to nearly 76kg today.
“When I first started, that weight wasn’t sustainable for reaching the top,” De Minaur admits. “I had to get stronger while maintaining my speed and endurance for long matches.”
Despite not looking as muscular as some of his peers, his raw power is undeniable.
“I’ve brought other athletes to train with him, but none can match his numbers,” says Poveda. “There’s an exercise where you push up from a lying position using your glute muscles, measured with a dynamometer. It’s incredibly difficult to generate power in that position, but Alex lifts 90 kilos. That’s insane.”
Ready for the Next Challenge
De Minaur’s superior fitness will be key as he takes on 18-year-old rising star Joao Fonseca in the third round of the Miami Open presented by Itau.
“I’m feeling great, very happy with where my body is,” says De Minaur. “Obviously, the plan is to make it a physical battle. He’ll be dangerous, but I can’t wait to face him.”
