Alex de Minaur reveals ‘ultimate’ Grand Slam goal as star outlines ‘super important’ improvement
Alex de Minaur has revealed that winning a Grand Slam title is his “ultimate goal” as the star looks to hit new heights in 2026 and beyond.
World No 6 de Minaur has been one of the most consistent players on the ATP Tour in recent years, and qualified for the ATP Finals in both 2024 and 2025.
The Australian has again made a strong start to his 2026 season, and defeated fellow top-10 star Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 to win the Rotterdam Open title on Sunday — the 11th ATP Tour title of his career.
De Minaur was also a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open in January and dropped just one set on his way to the last eight of his home Grand Slam, though he was then beaten in straight sets by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The world No 6 has been a quarter-finalist at all four Grand Slam tournaments but has never progressed further than the last eight of a major.
The 26-year-old, who celebrates his 27th birthday on Tuesday, has lost six Grand Slam quarter-finals during his career, while he was forced to pull out of his Wimbledon quarter-final in 2024.
However, speaking after his success at the Rotterdam Open, de Minaur revealed that he had his sights set on Grand Slam glory.
“My whole life and my whole career, I haven’t been one to speak with words out loud,” said de Minaur, speaking to Bolavip.
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“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.
“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’s Rotterdam Open triumph was the fourth ATP 500 victory of his career, though the Australian has never won a title above that level.
His sole Masters 1000 final in singles came at the 2023 Canadian Open, where he was beaten by Jannik Sinner in straight sets.
Sinner and Alcaraz have been key stumbling blocks in de Minaur’s career, with the world No 6 holding a combined 0-19 head-to-head record against the two men.
De Minaur has improved notably in recent years, but he is one of countless ATP Tour players struggling to break through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance — with the pair having won the last nine Grand Slam titles between them.
But the Australian believes improvements with his serve could be key to his chances of challenging for the sport’s biggest titles.
He added: “I think I have improved so much, so I believe I can compete for these titles. 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, and it will definitely be easier to win the big titles.
“The key for me is to make a lot of first serves. This week, I haven’t been bombing serves, because I don’t always need to do that. I need to hit a high percentage, and I am finally finding the balance so I am not jeopardising that first serve.”
“But it is a tough balance between having a high enough percentage and still doing enough with my serve.
“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.”
After his Rotterdam Open success, de Minaur is now set to return to action at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, which takes place from February 23-28.
The Australian is a two-time champion at the event, having lifted the title in 2023 and 2024.
He is one of four top-10 players currently set to compete, alongside world No 4 Alexander Zverev, world No 5 Lorenzo Musetti, and world No 9 Ben Shelton.
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