Alex de Minaur is the new Rotterdam Open champion, marking his first title of what he hopes will be a hugely successful season.
Beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final marked a clash between two top-level players, both of whom are vying to take the next step up to start challenging for Grand Slam titles.
Naturally, to do so, they will have to bypass Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
And, speaking after this latest title, Alex de Minaur has explained how close he feels to achieving that.
Alex de Minaur says what he thinks will win him Grand Slam titles
Discussing his latest title with Bolavip after the match, De Minaur provided a lengthy and insightful answer as he looked ahead to what the future might hold for him after this fresh triumph.
After all, whilst ATP 500 victories are to be celebrated, they are a far cry from the Grand Slam successes he craves.
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Referencing that ultimate goal, the 26-year-old explained how he feels he’s getting closer.
De Minaur claimed: “My whole life and my whole career, I haven’t been one to speak with words out loud. I let my actions do the talking, but of course, I am dreaming about winning Grand Slams. One hundred percent. That is the ultimate goal for me and every tennis player, and I will do everything in my power to win a Grand Slam.
“I suffered a very tough defeat at the Australian Open, but I got back up and the year is long. There are still three more Grand Slams and countless Masters, so I am hoping to step up and win some of those big titles.
“I think I have improved so much, so I believe I can compete for these titles. My serve has improved, which is super important for me. Everyone knows what I can do from the baseline, and if my serve can help me get more free points, then it makes my life a lot easier, and it will definitely be easier to win the big titles.
“The key for me is to make a lot of first serves. This week, I haven’t been bombing serves, because I don’t always need to do that. I need to hit a high percentage, and I am finally finding the balance, so I am not jeopardising that first serve.”
What does Alex de Minaur need to change to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
“But it is a tough balance between having a high enough percentage and still doing enough with my serve. In the past, my percentage has been too low, which has cost me crucial matches against the best players in the world, like Sinner and Alcaraz. I have made it difficult for myself in the past.”
Auger-Aliassime rated De Minaur’s tennis after their final, as another star who is desperate to make that step up to challenge the world’s top two players.
Alex de Minaur’s Grand Slam record
De Minaur has been a mainstay on the ATP Tour for many years now, and as such has been ever-present at the Grand Slam level.
And yet, despite all the experience he has gained, the quarter-finals continue to be the stage that haunts him most, having never actually won one to progress into the semi-finals.
Of the last eight major appearances he has made, he has reached the quarters in six of them.
That being said, De Minaur boasts 98 Grand Slam matches across his career, and has won 65 of them. A 66% win rate is far from disappointing.
However, it is far from where he will want to be.
It feels like he really needs to claim that first major semi-final of his career to really kick on, but the consistent and dominant presence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner makes that task supremely daunting.
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