Alex de Minaur has stated that winning a Grand Slam title is his ultimate goal following his victory at the Rotterdam Open. The world No. 6 defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 to claim his 11th ATP Tour title. He highlighted improvements in his serve as key to challenging top players.
Alex de Minaur, currently ranked world No. 6, expressed his ambition to win a Grand Slam title after securing the Rotterdam Open on Sunday. The Australian beat fellow top-10 player Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 in the final, marking his fourth ATP 500 victory and 11th career title on the ATP Tour.
De Minaur has shown consistency, qualifying for the ATP Finals in 2024 and 2025. Earlier in 2026, he reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, losing in straight sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz after dropping just one set en route. He has been a quarter-finalist at all four Grand Slams but has not advanced beyond the last eight, with six quarter-final losses and a withdrawal from his 2024 Wimbledon quarter-final.
In an interview with Bolavip after the Rotterdam win, de Minaur said: “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.”
He reflected on his recent Australian Open defeat: “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.”
De Minaur noted challenges against leading players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, against whom he holds a 0-19 head-to-head record. His only Masters 1000 final was at the 2023 Canadian Open, lost to Sinner. He believes serve improvements will help: “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.”
He added: “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.”
The 26-year-old, turning 27 on Tuesday, next competes at the Mexican Open in Acapulco from February 23-28, where he won in 2023 and 2024.
