Alex de Minaur remembers the figurative and patronising pats on the back. There was widespread admiration for what he had achieved as recently as two years ago, but often because those same people believed he was not quite good enough. Alex de Minaur is one of the best grasscourt players in the world.
Credit: Getty Images Fuelled by the doubters, Australia’s best tennis player – who calls himself his harshest critic – had to first win his own mind over. He has done that and more in an incredible 20-month period where he transformed from a relative also-ran into a top-10 star with legitimate grand slam title claims. With that has come a new “aura” around him, as he puts it, as the narrative dramatically shifts.
Loading De Minaur, armed with dynamite speed, elite returning skills, a bulked-up serve and an ever-improving forehand, has, perhaps, his best chance to shock the world at Wimbledon across the next fortnight, even if some sceptics remain. “I feel like I’ve heard that my whole career. In a way, it’s the beauty of it.
It’s what makes [my success] sweeter now,” de Minaur told this masthead on tournament eve, overlooking Wimbledon’s perfectly manicured court 18. “I heard plenty of times all the reasons why I can’t be one of the best players in the world. It was always, ‘He’s not strong enough’, ‘He’s not aggressive enough’, ‘He’s got no weapons’ and ‘Just running ain’t going to cut it’.
“I love proving people wrong and ult.
