Alex de Minaur looks back on the 2024 season in which he returned from a potentially season-ending injury and qualified for the Elite ATP Finals.
Melbourne, VIC, 29 November 2024 | jackson mansell
The No 1 Court crowd of 15,000 were left in awe as Alex de Minaur cruised to victory over Arthur Fils in the fourth round of Wimbledon 2024.
Fils’ down-the-line forehand was the clear winner and the Aussie’s volley into the net crushed any hopes of the match continuing.
At that moment, everything seemed to fall into place for Daemon. As the first quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, he was in top form to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. A long-overdue breakthrough seemed imminent for the 25-year-old. But that wasn’t the case.
The Australian didn’t look any happy after his win over the Fils. The limp, monotonous response told half the story, and a shake of the head at his box confirmed it. De Minaur’s Wimbledon campaign was in jeopardy.
A torn hip cartilage forced De Minaur to withdraw from the tournament ahead of his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic. Not only did it stop him from achieving a potentially landmark Grand Slam, it also put his season in doubt.
De Minaur didn’t play until the US Open, and surprisingly he reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2020. The New South Welshman re-aggravated the injury in his quarter-final clash with Jack Draper, with many fearing he would miss out. The rest of the season.
But his return to the European Open in mid-October has rekindled faith in the Australian No. 1’s hopes of reaching the ATP Finals. A semifinal appearance at the Vienna Open followed by a quarterfinal appearance at the Paris Masters helped De Minaur qualify for the prestigious eight-man tournament in Turin.
De Minaur, whose year-end ranking was 9th in the world, was able to look back positively on 2024 and the adversity he had overcome.
See more: De Minaur makes history as the first tennis star in the Weet-Bix™ Box.
“It feels really good. Ultimately, it’s a career milestone and a moment I didn’t know was possible with everything I’ve dealt with this year,” he said as he prepared to make his ATP Finals debut. “It was a really good season for me and at the same time a breakthrough season where I overcame a lot of adversity.
“Obviously I wanted to come here better and I feel like I could have done better, but in the end I did my best and it gives me a lot of fire to be able to come back here next year.”
When Demon was on court, he was at his best. Just six days into the new year, there are already signs that 2024 will be his breakout season.
By the United Cup semi-finals, Australia had defeated three top-10 opponents, including Taylor Fritz in the group stage and Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. But it was the quarterfinals that proved the biggest milestone.
De Minaur did what only two Australians had done before. That was his victory over Novak Djokovic. This ended the then Australian World No. 1’s 43-game winning streak since the 2018 Australian Open.
The win not only gave De Minaur his first win over a 24-time Grand Slam champion, but also earned the Australian a top 10 finish for the first time. And he stayed there for most of the season.
He has reached the second week of every Grand Slam event, with the Australian Open being the only Slam where he did not reach the quarterfinals. The 25-year-old added another two titles in 2024 with wins in Acapulco and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
De Minaur became the first Australian to reach an ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004, and has since represented Australia in five consecutive Davis Cup finals.
“At the end of the day, there were a lot of positive things to happen throughout the year. It was a great season for me, but at the same time a breakthrough season where I overcame a lot of adversity,” he said. “I will look at all the positives and be happy with my efforts. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to next season and where I can improve.”
The peak of his career ensured the speedster was nominated for a fifth Newcombe Medal. De Minaur, who has already won the coveted award twice, becomes only the third winner, joining Sam Stosur and Ash Barty.
“This means a lot more nominations among the many worthy candidates,” he said.
“It has been an incredible year for Australian tennis, with so many incredible achievements achieved by so many people. Above all, it’s great to see how well Australian tennis is doing, demonstrating our abilities around the world and trying to uphold our rich Australian culture and traditions.”
The Demon is igniting a new era for the next generation 🔥 @alexdeminaur
Introducing the #DeMinaurJuniorTour 😈 pic.twitter.com/XWN0buX65w
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) November 4, 2024
It’s a season and outlook that highlights De Minaur’s role model qualities for the next generation of players, a group he passionately supports.
Earlier this month the De Minaur Junior Tour launched, providing a competitive route for more than 33,000 young Australians. De Minaur is also working with Tennis Australia to establish a scholarship program for high-achieving young athletes.
READ MORE: De Minaur future champion of Australian tennis ahead of junior tour finals
He is proud to set an example for young athletes who follow his path.
“Mentorship is very important,” De Minaur said. “I have been fortunate to learn a lot from mentors over the years.”
“I want to pass on the knowledge I have gathered throughout my travels and help young Australian players develop and become the best they can be.”
Find out how to play: visit play.tennis.com.au Get out on the court and have fun!
