Alex de Minaur is gunning for glory once again at the Shanghai Masters and has progressed through his first-round match.
The Australian player came through in straight sets against Argentinian performer Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
De Minaur has bemoaned the courts in Shanghai this week, but he showed no signs of struggling against his lower-ranked opponent.
Jannik Sinner praised De Minaur after beating him at the China Open last week, and now the Aussie has been quizzed on that defeat.
Alex de Minaur makes Jannik Sinner claim
In recent weeks, Andy Roddick has lavished praise on De Minaur and the player is very capable on his day.
When it comes to beating the top players, however, De Minaur often comes up short, which has given him something to think about.
Last week, De Minaur won a set from world number two Sinner but eventually came up short, admitting there was something that he just couldn’t cope with.
He said in his press conference: “Well, what I keep on doing my whole career, and that’s improving. No matter what people throw at me, I know I haven’t reached my peak, and I think I still have a lot to give.
“It was a great match in which I had plenty of opportunities. I had lots of break points, he just came up serving unbelievable in those break points, which didn’t really give me a chance. I had kind of five minutes of bad tennis, and that cost me the third set.
“Again, I’m going to keep on showing up, keep on proving people wrong, and, yeah, I have a lot more to give.”
Alex De Minaur on course for ATP Finals in Turin
De Minaur is currently in seventh place and could rise with a strong run at the Shanghai Masters, with Ben Shelton, the player directly above him, already out of the competition.
The 26-year-old will hope to make it through to the ATP Finals in Turin and aim to go one further than last year, when he was knocked out at the group stages.
De Minaur is desperately trying to prove that he can win the game’s big titles and it’s up to him to push himself and get over the line a little bit more often against the big players.
De Minaur lacks nothing in terms of heart, but the challenge for him right now is to change the perception that he’s a solid if unspectacular player when it comes to winning the game’s big titles.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
