“I am capable of special things”: Why Alex De Minaur believes 2026 could be his year

As the 2026 season approaches, Alex de Minaur is positioning himself not just as a consistent Top 10 contender, but as a legitimate threat for major titles. The Australian, coming off a season where he solidified his standing among the elite, is looking to convert deep runs into silverware. With the Australian Open on the horizon, the pressure of home expectation is mounting, but the 26-year-old insists his mindset has evolved to handle the scrutiny.

A key component of this evolution is a newfound psychological resilience regarding defeat. De Minaur admits he hasn't always been the "best loser," often lingering on setbacks in a sport that demands rapid turnaround times. To combat the emotional toll of the tour, he has adopted a pragmatic approach to failure, focusing on the sheer volume of opportunities rather than isolated losses.

“I've never been the best loser," he said during an interview with Esquire. "But I've learnt that you play a million matches in your career. Every week, there's a new chance, a new opportunity, so it's all about having the memory of a goldfish.”

Despite his established reputation as one of the tour's hardest workers, De Minaur acknowledges a gap between his team's confidence in him and his own self-perception. Bridging this divide is his primary objective for the upcoming campaign. He aims to cultivate a specific "swagger" on court, moving away from the underdog narrative that has defined much of his career. The goal is to step onto the court against giants like Alcaraz or Sinner with an unwavering internal conviction. “I've got to get to the stage where I believe in myself as much as my team does... Yep, it's having that belief, that swagger about you.”

The immediate focus is Melbourne Park, where the "Demon" will carry the hopes of a nation desperate for a homegrown men's champion. The historical burden is significant; the last local champion was Mark Edmondson in 1976. Since then, a succession of Australians have fallen at the final hurdle: John Marks (1978, defeated by Guillermo Vilas), Kim Warwick (1980, lost to Brian Teacher), Pat Cash (1987 and 1988, falling to Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander respectively), and Lleyton Hewitt (2005, defeated by Marat Safin).

At the pinnacle of the ATP Tour, the difference between a quarter-final exit and a trophy often comes down to minute details. De Minaur, who relies on speed and tactical discipline rather than raw power, focuses on extracting every ounce of advantage from his preparation. He recognizes that as a player climbs the rankings, the window for error shrinks dramatically against top-tier opposition, making the pursuit of these advantages relentless and exhausting.

“You're looking for the tiniest of edges against your opponents. So, ultimately, as you get to the highest level, the margins are smaller and smaller... but it's even harder than you can ever imagine.”

Critics have occasionally questioned whether his counter-punching style has a ceiling, but De Minaur uses this skepticism as distinct motivation. For him, the equation remains simple and rooted in a tireless work ethic. He remains committed to "proving more people wrong" as he targets a breakthrough at the major level, accepting that while hard work doesn't guarantee results, it is the only variable he can control to tilt the odds in his favor.

“The mindset I have is, improvement is sure as hell not going to happen without hard work. Yes, you can put in all the hard work, and the results don't come. But there's a lot more chance of those results coming if you're putting in the hard work than if you're not.”

Looking beyond the mechanics of his game, De Minaur's ambitions for the new season are clear: he wants to shatter his previous limitations. Having firmly established himself in the Top 10, the next step involves challenging for Grand Slam titles. He admits to a deep hunger for success, stating that he wants to "break new barriers" and that his desire to win "really badly" drives his daily regimen. He is increasingly aware of his potential to disrupt the established order.

“Sometimes I'm too hard on myself. I don't give myself enough credit. It's just realising that I am good enough. I'm capable of doing some pretty special things in this sport, and, ultimately, it's up to me to show up.”