Why Nick Kyrgios firmly believes Alex de Minaur is good enough to win a grand slam – as he predicts a golden era for Aussie men’s tennis
Nick Kyrgios, the outspoken Australian tennis star and 2022 Wimbledon finalist, has emerged as one of Alex de Minaur’s strongest advocates, firmly believing the 26-year-old Sydneysider possesses the talent to conquer a Grand Slam. In a series of recent interviews and social media posts amid de Minaur’s strong 2025 season, Kyrgios highlighted de Minaur’s technical prowess, mental toughness, and relentless work ethic as key attributes that could propel him to major glory. “Alex is good enough—hell, he’s more than good enough,” Kyrgios stated during a podcast appearance on *The Nick Kyrgios Podcast* on September 4, 2025, shortly after de Minaur’s US Open quarterfinal run. “He’s got the speed of a Ferrari, a backhand that’s lethal, and he’s finally figuring out how to close out those big matches. I’ve seen it up close; he’s built for this.”
Kyrgios’s conviction stems from de Minaur’s evolution over the past two years. Once criticized for lacking a killer serve or big weapons, de Minaur has refined his game under the guidance of mentor Lleyton Hewitt and coaches Adolfo Gutierrez and Matt Reid. His 2025 highlights include a Washington Open title, a Wimbledon quarterfinal, and back-to-back US Open quarterfinals—the first Australian man to achieve the latter since Hewitt in 2005. Kyrgios pointed to de Minaur’s serving improvements, noting a career-high 85% first-serve points won at the US Open, per *ATP Tour* stats, and his ability to grind out wins against top-10 foes like Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev. “He used to get bullied in the big moments, but now? He’s bamboozling guys with tweeners and lobs while defending like a wall,” Kyrgios said, referencing de Minaur’s viral tweener lob against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the US Open quarters. Despite the 4-6, 7-6(9-7), 7-5, 7-6(7-4) loss to Auger-Aliassime, Kyrgios praised de Minaur’s resilience, telling *ESPN*, “That serving dip? It’s fixable. He’s 26; prime time ahead.”
Kyrgios’s belief isn’t isolated to de Minaur; he envisions a “golden era” for Australian men’s tennis, predicting multiple Aussies in Grand Slam contention by 2027. “We’re talking a full-on revival—Alex leading the charge, with Jordan Thompson, Alexei Popyrin, and the young guns like Li Tu pushing hard,” Kyrgios posted on X on September 5, 2025, after de Minaur’s defeat. He compared it to the Lleyton Hewitt-Patrick Rafter era of the early 2000s, when Australia claimed three Slams in two years. Kyrgios credited the resurgence to improved junior development via Tennis Australia and Hewitt’s mentorship, which he experienced firsthand. “Lleyton’s rubbing off on Alex; that fire is back in Aussie tennis. We’ve been dormant too long—watch us dominate the hard courts and grass,” he added in the podcast, forecasting de Minaur as the first Aussie Slam winner since Sam Stosur in 2011.
Kyrgios’s endorsement carries weight given his own Grand Slam near-misses and candid critiques of the tour. Despite past tensions—Kyrgios once called de Minaur “overrated” in 2022—their relationship has warmed, with Kyrgios defending de Minaur against online trolls post-US Open. “He’s the real deal; haters can eat it,” Kyrgios quipped on X. As de Minaur eyes the 2026 Australian Open, favored at +800 odds per *DraftKings*, Kyrgios’s prophecy could soon materialize, ushering in Australia’s tennis renaissance.
