if Alex de Minaur By beating Jannik Sinner on Saturday in Turin – yes, we know, the odds are slim – the Australian could have cracked the ATP top five for the first time of the season.
We now know that didn’t happen. De Minaur, who has an 0-13 record against indoor juggernaut Sinner, is left to ponder the gap between himself and the tour’s elite as his ATP Finals campaign draws to a close.
Does the 26-year-old Australian have what it takes to move up the rankings and start doing some real damage to the top players on tour? He’s plateaued in recent years, cracking the top 10, but has missed out in seven Grand Slam quarterfinals, finishing with an 0-18 record against Sinner (13) and Alcaraz (combined).
That said, De Minaur is looking for a solution to the problem.
“That’s always the goal,” he told reporters in Turin on Saturday. “Like I said, I still think I can give more. I’m not at my peak yet.”
De Minaur admitted he had put himself in a dark place following his round-robin loss to Lorenzo Musetti and said he also needed to realize he had to strike a balance between chasing more and burning out.
“I also have to be careful about how much pressure I put on myself, because that’s where I get into darkness, right?” he said. “The desire to keep improving, to keep wanting more, to expect more…I have to find a healthy balance.”
Despite the loss to Sinner, De Minaur does feel like he’s learning how to adjust his game to the unique challenges of facing a player like Sinner. He knew he had to attack relentlessly and not let Sinner take control with his world-class speed and precision. He knew he needed lights-out service.
“As we’ve seen in the last two games, I do have the ability to play tennis at a faster pace and in a more aggressive style,” he said. “I do think that’s what it takes to beat the best players in the world.
“For me, to take the next step, I need to stay fresh, not put too much pressure on myself and ultimately progress in the bigger races. That’s what it takes for me to jump from where I was the past two years to maybe be in the top five and go for bigger and better things.”
