TO CALL ALEX DE MINAUR’S current string of victories ‘career-best form’ would be an understatement. The Australian maestro has had a colossal summer, not only establishing himself as a top ten-calibre player, but also as a genuine threat to capture Grand Slam titles. The man affectionately dubbed ‘the Demon’ is enjoying a bumper start to 2024.
Beginning the year at the United Cup with victories over three top ten-ranked players in Taylor Fritz, Alex Zverev and world number one Novak Djokovic, de Minaur maintained his form throughout the Australian Open, eventually bowing out in the fourth round after a closely fought five setter against Andrey Rublev, but doing enough to enter the ATP top ten for the first time. Now, it looks like de Minaur’s form isn’t simple momentum, but evidence he’s taken his game to another level.
De Minaur downed American Sebastian Korda overnight, in the opening round of the ABN AMRO Open, a tournament worth 500 ATP ranking points—enough to propel de Minaur even further up the rankings, should he win it. It was all too easy for de Minaur, who required only 83 minutes to dispatch Korda in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. Korda was unable to break de Minaur’s serve throughout the match, with the Australian saving all four break points he faced. The win moves de Minaur’s yearly record up to seven wins and only two losses. He’ll now face Belgian ace David Goffin in the round of 16.
De Minaur’s sudden shift in form comes after fans and pundits had begun to speculate over whether the Australian would ever make the jump from good to great. At this time last year, the Demon was ranked 25th in the world. With the next generation, which includes big names like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune, already entrenching themselves firmly inside the top ten, de Minaur’s path to the top seemed to be fading.
The now redoubtable de Minaur is one of the fastest players on the ATP tour, with a reputation that any shot, no matter how well placed, is rarely outside of his reach. During the Australian Open, the internet took to joking that 70 per cent of the earth is covered by water, and the other 30 per cent by de Minaur—which is an apt description of his mobility. His shot placement and serve have also improved beyond recognition. Truly, de Minaur looks like a different player in 2024. So, what’s behind the Demon’s growth spurt? The answer may lie in a recent interview with Esquire Australia.
All clothing by Polo Ralph Lauren. Photography: Sam Bisso. Fashion director: Grant Pearce. Stylist: Melissa Boyle. Grooming: Lee Machin. Digital assistant: Liam Cullinane.
As Esquire Australia’s digital cover star for February 2024, de Minaur made an unexpected foray into the world of fashion, stepping outside of his comfort zone and expanding his horizons by showcasing the latest collection from Polo Ralph Lauren.
In between costume changes and photo ops, de Minaur provided a glimpse into his current mindset. Notably, he voiced his displeasure at being knocked out of tournaments like the Australian Open before he could really do some damage to the draw, and spoke on how those shortcomings have driven him to improve. “It has been quite difficult doing a lot of these things while I’m looking at the players still playing in the tournament that I wanted to be in, in the rounds that I wanted to be competing in,” he said on his recent defeat to Rublev at Melbourne Park. “But at the same time, I’m trying to look at the bigger picture, to not be too hard on myself and know that I’ll have more chances.”
The chances de Minaur speaks of will arrive shortly. In addition to the four perennial grand slams on the ATP calendar, 2024 will feature another opportunity for hardware that doesn’t come around as often—the Olympics. De Minaur told Esquire that, in addition to permanently positioning himself inside the top ten and challenging for Grand Slams, Olympic glory is on his hit list.
All clothing by Polo Ralph Lauren. Photography: Sam Bisso. Fashion director: Grant Pearce. Stylist: Melissa Boyle. Grooming: Lee Machin. Digital assistant: Liam Cullinane.
Another explanation for de Minaur’s recent rise is his accumulation of widespread support across Australia. With the nation’s interest previously splintered across multiple players in a generation with no clear leader, de Minaur has now emerged as the undisputed face of Australian tennis, and his fanbase has grown accordingly. “It is amazing to feel all the support,” he said. “I think they see someone who has made playing for Australia a priority, is a competitor, is a fighter, and I guess is quite a normal kid.”
Ultimately, de Minaur has clear goals in mind and knows how he wants his career to play out. “The one thing I want to achieve in my career is that I can sit on the couch once it’s all said and done and know that I gave myself the best shot and I did everything I could,” he said. “I don’t want to have any regrets. That means getting the most out of myself and seeing where I need to improve, what I need to do in certain situations to ultimately be able to finish my career and be content and know that I gave it my all.” With a mindset like that, we can expect de Minaur’s ascension to tennis’ pinnacle to continue unabated.
All clothing by Polo Ralph Lauren. Photography: Sam Bisso. Fashion director: Grant Pearce. Stylist: Melissa Boyle. Grooming: Lee Machin. Digital assistant: Liam Cullinane.
All clothing by Polo Ralph Lauren. Alex de Minaur’s February 2024 Esquire Australia digital cover story is available to read here.
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