Alex de Minaur is one of the quieter players on tour…
The world number eight is well-liked among his peers and rarely causes drama.
Unlike some of his ATP Tour rivals…
Several players in the men’s game enjoy talking trash.
Who do you think was the better player? – Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal
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But who is the biggest trash-talker of them all?
Speaking to Tennis TV, De Minaur and others answered that very question.
Alex de Minaur says Alexander Bublik is the sport’s biggest trash talker
“I’m going to go with [Alexander] Bublik,” said De Minaur.
“He talks without filter, right?
“And sometimes, that is a little bit of trash, but you know, it’s genuine and authentic.”
De Minaur couldn’t have picked a better time to choose Bublik, as the Kazakh has been very vocal in Rotterdam, even by his standards.
During his first-round win over Hubert Hurkacz, Bublik was heard saying the following.
“Ace, Ace, Double Fault, Shank, Shank, Ace, Ace. They tell me I have no rhythm? I’m [Novak] Djokovic compared to him,” he said.
Then, in the semifinals, Bublik complained that his opponent, Jaume Munar, wasn’t making any unforced errors on indoor hard, despite being a clay-court specialist.
Bublik is often excused for his comments, but some criticized him this week for disrespecting his opponents.
De Minaur has never been too bothered by Bublik’s antics, though, having won four of their six ATP Tour meetings.
Alex de Minaur and Alexander Bublik’s head-to-head record
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2026 Australian Open – 4R | Alex de Minaur | Alexander Bublik | 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2025 Paris Masters – QF | Alexander Bublik | Alex de Minaur | 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2025 French Open – 2R | Alexander Bublik | Alex de Minaur | 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2024 Indian Wells – 3R | Alex de Minaur | Alexander Bublik | 7-5, 6-0 |
| 2021 Barcelona Open – 2R | Alex de Minaur | Alexander Bublik | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 2021 Antalya Open – F | Alex de Minaur | Alexander Bublik | 2-0 (RET) |
The Aussie believes Bublik is the biggest trash talker in the game, but who did the Kazakh pick?
“That’s Frances Tiafoe,” said Bublik.
“He talks nonstop.
“I’m not sure that someone can talk more than him.”
Frances Tiafoe is a big character and rarely goes a full match without saying something!
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas also made his pick.
“[Nick Kyrgios]. He’s a very opinionated guy; he’s got strong opinions, so I’ll give it to him,” he said.
Nick Kyrgios and Tsitsipas weren’t too fond of each other a few years ago, although they seem to get along better now.
Their match at Wimbledon in 2022 was one of the most controversial in recent memory.
Neither player gave a good account of themselves, as Kyrgios‘ constant chatter angered Tsitsipas so much that he smashed a ball away.
The Aussie tried to take advantage of Tsitsipas’ moment of madness, suggesting he should be defaulted from the match.
His complaints fell on deaf ears, but Kyrgios still had the last laugh, winning the match in four sets.
In the aftermath of their third-round match, Tsitsipas called Kyrgios a bully.
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Kyrgios is probably best known for his trash talk, although fans haven’t heard as much from him recently, due to his ongoing injury struggles.
Perhaps De Minaur is right, and Bublik took the trash-talking crown from Kyrgios!
What are the ATP’s rules on trash talk?
The ATP Tour’s official 2026 rulebook doesn’t mention ‘trash talking’ directly, but it does talk about verbal abuse and audible obscenity.
“Players shall not at any time directly or indirectly verbally abuse an official, opponent, sponsor, spectator, or any other person within the precincts of the tournament site,” says the ATP.
“Verbal abuse is defined as any statement about an official, opponent, sponsor, spectator, or any other person that implies dishonesty or is derogatory, insulting, or otherwise abusive.
“A player shall not use an audible obscenity while on-site. Audible obscenity is defined as the use of words commonly known and understood to be profane and uttered clearly and loudly enough to be heard.”
Violations of the above rules can result in fines of $5,000 – $60,000.
During the 2024 Shanghai Masters, Tiafoe accumulated $120,000 worth of fines for his behaviour towards the umpire.
- $60,000 fine for verbal abuse
- $60,000 fine for aggravated behaviour
That was less trash-talking than it was verbal abuse, though, and it’s important to make the distinction.
For the most part, what we see from the likes of Bublik is light-hearted ‘trash talk’, rather than aggressive verbal abuse.
It will be interesting to hear what Bublik has to say in his next match, as he prepares to meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals of the Rotterdam Open on Saturday, February 14.
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