AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2022

Alex De Minaur

Press Conference

J. SINNER/A. de Minaur

7-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Tough match today. Sorry that it didn't go entirely in your way, but still a great week here with a good couple of matches. How would you reflect on your experience this time?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, look, overall I think it's been a good Aussie summer for me. I've played some good matches, had some good results. Obviously a little bit of a bittersweet ending. Didn't really want my Australian Open campaign to be done tonight, but it's just how it went today.

I had chances. Didn't take those opportunities, those breakpoints early. You know, I came up with an opponent that played very well and just played some very good tennis in the important moments.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Obviously first set very tight. Second and third set he got a break on you early and got away with it. Did you feel his level went to a different level? Did you feel your level dropped? Where did you see the match there from the second and third set?

ALEX de MINAUR: I think second set I had breakpoints first game of the second set, and I didn't convert kind of again. So I think after that point I was maybe 0-6 on breakpoints. And look, he started to lift his level as the court kind of had shade. There was no more sun. So he was able to really hit the ball through the court a lot more.

I mean, we all know the amazing firepower he has, so I felt like, you know, I played a loose game to get broken. I just missed a couple forehands which I tried to press a little bit more than maybe I should have. As you said, he got the early break and kind of was able to run away.

I still had a lot of chances on his service games. It just didn't feel like it was coming. You know, I had 15-30s, I had Love-30s, had some breakpoints. Just those points, some I don't think I played well and others I think he played really well.

So combination, a bit of luck maybe could have changed that around.

Q. What are your immediate plans going forward now? Do you plan on sticking around in Australia for the next couple of weeks? What's your immediate plans going forward?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, tournament-wise, I think my next tournament will be Rotterdam. Whether I stay here or not, I haven't decided yet.

But considering my next tournament is in Europe, there is a good chance I'll head over there and kind of get ready for that.

But, yeah, it's been a good start to the season, bringing in some good momentum. You know, came up short today, but happy with where my level is going. It's definitely a big improvement from last year. And, you know, I'm excited for what's to come.

Q. After a really impressive summer, do your goals for this year change? Do you sort of look at this year differently after what ends up being a really impressive summer?

ALEX de MINAUR: No, because I knew I had this in me. You know, I knew I'd put in the work to really come out here and perform.

So the goals kind of stay the same. I still want to keep improving, keep striving to get the most out of myself. That's never going to change. That's just the person I am, and in a way it's how I've gotten to where I have gotten, just by constantly pushing myself. So we'll reflect on what I did well, what I can still improve, and we go again until the next tournament.

I mean, it's a long year, the Aussie tennis year. We start 1st of Jan., and there's a good chance we will be going on until late November, even maybe early December. It's a long year, but my hopes and goals are to keep at least my attitude and my mindset throughout the whole year, or try to. It's easier said than done, but that's the focus.

Q. You mentioned it's like a really long year. Can you see yourself coming back to Australia before the next summer, or you think you've obviously got your base in Alicante? Do you think you'll elect to spend most of your time there in the off time?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, I've put my hand up for Davis Cup, to come back in I think it's March, we've got qualifiers against Hungary. If I'm in the team, I'll definitely be back here, so that's a time for me to be back.

We'll see. We never know. The tough thing with Australia is it's so far away. We do a lot of hours on the plane already, so if there is any way of minimizing that, then there is a good chance we will take that option.

Q. You have played with Nick before in that team environment. Are you enjoying watching what him and Thanasi are doing at the moment? Will you stick around and cheer them on if they go and try to win a Grand Slam doubles title? What's it been like watching as a fellow Australian, a fellow player, these two boys sort of take the doubles scene by storm?

ALEX de MINAUR: I think as a fellow Australian, it's exciting whenever any Aussie player does well. I think we've got such a great team chemistry. I mean, you've got Nick and Kokk doing great stuff. Ebden and Purcell still, Peersy still going. I think it's exciting stuff.

It's amazing the level they can show and put on the court day in and day out, and it's going to be very interesting to see how the week unfolds. That's for sure.

Q. That first set, the importance of that, the chance that there were some opportunities for you, not to say you didn't stop fighting, you would never do that, but was there a level of deflation after you didn't clinch that first set?

ALEX de MINAUR: No, not really, because I knew, you know, as you have said, I had so many chances in that first set.

It was about kind of staying within the moment and, you know, first game of the second set I had even more chances to break. No, I felt the match drastically changed as soon as the shade came in and it wasn't as hot. Conditions got a little bit slower, a little bit heavier. I felt like he was able to kind of free up a bit on his groundstrokes and really let loose, so that made it a little bit harder for me to kind of counteract that.

Yeah, I had a not-so-good game on my serve where I kind of broke myself, missed a couple of short forehands. Then still had chances to break but it just didn't go my way. I don't think I played those points too well. So, you know, you go back to the drawing board, you had your chances, you didn't execute today, but it's the way forward.

I stayed positive, stayed with a good mindset, and wasn't meant to be today, but I'm sure next time if I keep doing what I'm doing it will go my way.