"I can't control if I win Slams or not": Alex de Minaur takes pragmatic attitude to Grand Slam dream
ATP
Alex de Minaur is on course to become the most successful Aussie player even in regards to prize money won having scooped close to $1m for winning the Ultimate Tennis Showdown but of course this is nothing compared to a potential tilt at winning a Grand Slam for the first time.
Albeit De MInaur takes more of a pragmatic approach when it comes to his dream of potentially one day becoming a Grand Slam champion and said that unlike the narrative that of course it is in his hands given he is the one who is on court playing, he sees it as different.
Murray type acceptance
He said that ultimately if he is putting in the maximum effort and has the right attitude, he can only do exactly what he can do and there is nothing left on the table and it is very much in the manna of the gods if he manages to win one or not.
Speaking to Simon Cambers of The Guardian, he was compared to Andy Murray who lost his first four Grand Slam finals before the floodgates opened but he accepted he might not win a Slam and that was the point made as De Minaur lives in an era where he plays alongside kingpins Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz who share the Grand Slams.
“That is the narrative, it’s never good enough, right?” De Minaur says. “For me, more than anything, it’s using that as motivation towards achieving that [a slam title], which is obviously a big goal of mine, but at the same time, accepting that some things may happen, some things may not," said De Minaur in a long-form feature with The Guardian.
“Ultimately, I want to be happy with what I do in my career, and that goes down to what I can control. I can’t control if I win slams or not. I can control if I get better and I put in the right attitude and effort. And at the same time, give myself a pat on the back every now and again. It’s the little wins. I need to be a little bit nicer to myself.”
De Minaur said it was 'mentally killing him' to lose tight matches against the best players but he managed to reach the semi-finals in Turin which dispelled that but it came with a shift in mindset from the tournament.
“You live and die by the results, but ultimately, the best way to perform is to not give results that much importance, and you can play more free,” he says. “It’s something that I’ve been working towards for a while now, to not put so much expectation and pressure on myself, because I know that when I don’t, that’s when my best tennis comes.
“Instead of focusing on those results, just try to embrace a little bit more the process and the way I want to play, because that’s one of the biggest things [about] all the shifts in mindset I had in Turin. I was going to be completely OK if the result didn’t go my way, but ultimately, I just wanted to stick to my game plan and play my way, and I know that that was going to make me feel a whole lot better than if I didn’t do that.”
Amid all the conjecture about the schedule and the lack of a tennis off-season, De Minaur sits in the position that it all makes sense towards Australia as he embarks on playing more often than perhaps what is necessary to heads towards there in the best position.
“It’s now about building for Australia, making sure I arrive there ready to go but just being wary of not getting too burnt out,” he says. “I don’t think I want to be playing too much more, ideally playing less, but that all depends on results as well. So hopefully the results can help me out, and then I’ll gladly play [fewer] weeks. That means I’m doing well.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- After a couple decades traveling to IIHF tourneys overseas... our family is done with it... and I will not be the only one!! Bad enough the NHL allows Ovachenko (a Putin Supporter and Campaigner) to live and play in the USA. Let's not forget the STATE SPONSORED RUSSIAN DOPING PROGRAMS still in effect today.
mandoist31-10-2026 - Osaka's mental state apparently does not allow her to reach any more Quarter Finals? I mean, she doesn't really have the time for tennis with all the pre-planning that must go into her 12 year-old "fashion" goals.mandoist29-10-2026
- With her money one would think she could afford a better team of Psychiatrists?mandoist29-10-2026
- Boss move, Sinner !Rapunzel27-10-2026
- Apparently still refusing to seek 'help' ...and still playing Dress-Up like a 10 year-old.mandoist27-10-2026
- Lena... Takin' care of businessmandoist25-10-2026
- Can you please stop publishing this nonsense? Stick to Tennis.mandoist25-10-2026
- Does Sinner need that 4.5 mil? I doubt it. He can make that with three modelling gigs!😅🤣Rapunzel21-10-2026
- Did "People Magazine" purchase this website? This nonstop storyline is bullshit.mandoist21-10-2026
- Listen... this is of no concern to anyone but these two. Deal with your own issues -- most of us have our own. Thanks, media, for these insignificant follow-ups which are meaningless.mandoist21-10-2026
