Alex de Minaur emerged victorious at the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam and, speaking after the match, the Australian revealed that he is aiming to win even bigger titles this season as he chases a Grand Slam title.
De Minaur won the match comfortably against Felix Auger-Aliassime at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, and Bolavip had the chance to ask both finalists a couple of questions after the game.
The Australian was a happy man after winning his first indoor title, and claiming the trophy in Rotterdam after losing two consecutive finals in that tournament meant a lot to him.
“I am super happy I finally got the title here in Rotterdam. I mean, I have lost two finals in a row, but they were against (Jannik) Sinner and Carlos (Alcaraz), and they are not the worst to lose against. I was trying to tell myself that as well when I lost last year,” de Minaur said.
Alex de Minaur celebrating winning a match
“I have not been playing my best tennis this week, but I played extremely well today. I stepped up to the occasion, so I am super proud of myself. I am really happy to get my first indoor title.”
Auger-Aliassime credits de Minaur after Rotterdam Open final
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Auger-Aliassime acknowledged that his opponent on the other side of the net was simply too good on the day, which the scoreline also showed, as he suffered a straight-sets defeat of 6-3, 6-2.
“Big credit to Alex, he is a very tough competitor,” the Canadian said. “With my level today, it was simply not enough to beat him. I was aware of the challenge, but he was just too good today. There is a reason why he was the No. 1 seed. He is super consistent and you have to play at your best to beat him.”
During the second set, Auger-Aliassime received an off-court medical timeout, but he assured his fans that they do not have to worry: “No, no, there is no reason to be worried, it is not an injury. I was just feeling some tightness in my left leg, but I am definitely not worried about it. I have just played a lot of matches in a row now, but it is nothing to be worried about.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime trying to reach the ball
De Minaur sets big Grand Slam goal
Neither de Minaur nor Auger-Aliassime have ever won a Masters 1000 or a Grand Slam title, despite consistently being among the best players on the ATP Tour. But they are hoping for that to change in the near future as they both chase glory at the Majors.
“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,” said de Minaur, who elaborated that he is aiming to win one already this year.
“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 names the key for him to succeed
The Australian revealed that his self-belief has increased significantly as he has learned more about his game over the past year, and he specifically pointed to his serve as being key when facing top players, as what used to be his weak spot has improved a lot, according to him. Curiously, his mobility also drew praise from Francisco Cerundolo when building the ideal ATP player.
“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,” added de Minaur, who improved his first-serve percentage a lot this season, getting more first serves in and also winning more points behind his first serve, something he is aiming to keep focusing on.
Alex de Minaur celebrates during a game
“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 jeopardizing 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.”
Auger-Aliassime eyes Grand Slam glory as well
Despite losing the match, Auger-Aliassime shared some big dreams for the rest of the season, as he revealed that he is chasing a top-eight spot so that he can qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, but more than that, he is going for the big titles, including a Grand Slam.
“First of all, my goal for this season is to be back in Turin. That would be great and that is my main goal for the season. If you qualify for Turin, that shows that you have been super consistent throughout the season,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“In terms of tournaments, I haven’t won a Masters 1000 or a Grand Slam yet, so I am really chasing these titles now. That is what I am trying to do, and I will do everything I can to achieve it soon. I have improved a lot in the last few years and I am serving much better now. I used to have a lot of ups and downs and be a bit more inconsistent.”
Auger-Aliassime believes Mboko can also chase Grand Slam success
Victoria Mboko reached the final in Doha and Denis Shapovalov reached the semifinal in Dallas, which made this week quite a good one for Canadian tennis players, despite not winning a single title, and that is something Auger-Aliassime is happy about:
Victoria Mboko celebrating winning a point
“I am always happy when the other Canadian tennis players are doing well. Gabriel Diallo had a great year last year and he is a really good friend of mine. Shapovalov did well in Dallas, Mboko did amazing things in Doha, so I am really happy.
“The thing is, compared to American, French or Italian players, we do not have as many. Obviously, the population is a lot smaller than in the USA, but we really pride ourselves on every player we have.”
Mboko had a marvelous week despite losing to Karolina Muchova in the final of the Masters 1000 event in Doha, and her compatriot Auger-Aliassime had some very kind words to share about the 19-year-old, saying that she has the potential to win many Grand Slams.
“We all support each other so everyone can have the best career possible. We are all very good friends, and on the women’s side as well, it is amazing to see a girl like Mboko being so young and playing such amazing tennis. She is playing at an incredibly high level,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“She really has the chance to have an amazing career and win many Grand Slams, and I will be behind her if she ever needs me. She can take care of herself, she is already a great player, but I will always be here for her.”
