Blink and you’ll miss the lightning-quick Alex de Minaur as he flies around a tennis court like a cheetah prowling the savanna for prey. Some US Open stars wow you with their blunt power as they rain down serves or unleash wickedly spinning forehands that explode when they hit the court. Others drop jaws with feel as they delicately carve and caress their way to victory, but Australia’s de Minaur, fittingly nicknamed “Demon” for the speed with which he travels, is cut from a different cloth.
He goes for the jugular, and he does it with his feet. Regarded by many as the fastest man on tour, de Minaur has been frustrating opponents with his blanketing defense and insane retrieval skills ever since he turned pro.
“You talk about an effort player,” said John McEnroe, a guy who knows a thing or two about desire. “He’s as good as it gets.”
He’s also a class act. Like so many in a long line of legendary Australian tennis players from Harry Hopman to Rod Laver to Evonne Goolagong Cawley to Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur conducts his on-court business with an air of honor, a touch of true grit, and a prideful look in his eye.
After all, this is a guy who has the number “109” tattooed on his chest to pay tribute to the fact that he’s the 109th player from his country to wear the green and gold at Davis Cup.
USOpen.org spoke to de Minaur after his five-set third-round win over Karen Khachanov to find out more about the No.1 Australian.
Q: You’re back in the second week of a major. Are bigger and better things on the way for you?
Alex de Minaur: It’s about just putting two and two together. I think the tennis has always been there—it’s just believing in myself and bringing it out in these bigger weeks. I am happy I am in the position I am in, but hopefully I can keep on going, nothing changes.
Q: How gutted were you at the start of the season about having to miss the 2020 Australian Open due to injury?
AD: It was a very tough time. The way I started at ATP Cup, I really thought that this was going to be a big year for me. Obviously, everything happened. I got injured, and this whole lockdown happened also. It was two very tough factors that were put together, but I’m happy I’m getting some wins here.
" I am happy I am in the position I am in, but hopefully I can keep on going."—Alex de Minaur
Q: Do you find that it’s challenging for you to stay healthy because of the physical game style you play? What have you learned about staying fit during your career?
AD: That’s the biggest thing. I work with my fitness coach and physio to make sure that I don’t get injured again. My body, if I can stay healthy, hopefully that means I can play a lot of matches and if that happens, I can win a lot of matches.
Q: You play well in New York. You have made the Round of 16 two years in a row at the US Open. Are these fast courts really helping your game?
AD: Yes, they’ve been helping me. At the end of the day, it’s something you have to adapt to. I think I’ve adapted well to these conditions and I’ve played some good tennis, so happy to be where I am and hopefully I can gather some momentum and keep it going.
Q: What was the key for you to get out of trouble and come back from two sets to one against Khachanov?
AD: Probably mentally more than anything. Just a “shut up and play” kind of thing, and it worked out for me today, I finally got out of jail.
Q: The long line of legends that we’ve seen from Australia, all the way back to Harry Hopman and then Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson and then more recently with Pat Rafter, Pat Cash and Lleyton Hewitt. How much does it mean to you to be a part of this tradition?
AD: There’s such a rich history and legacy and culture within Australian tennis and there’s nothing I would want more than to be known as one of those guys and to be in the same kind of conversations as those people. Obviously, I have very large shoes to fill, but look I’m just going to do my best and keep gathering some wins and push myself out there.
Q: Lastly, do you think it will help you on Monday against Vasek Pospisil, the fact that you’ve already had the experience of playing the fourth round at the US Open last year?
AD: It’s just another match in the same situation. I just have to make sure I treat it like it’s my first round, second round, third round. Nothing changes. I still have to go out there and I have to compete and I have to leave it all out there.
