For once, Alex de Minaur is stepping onto the court with something rare in professional tennis—clarity and calm. When the Aussie faces Jiri Lehecka in the round of 32 at Queen’s on Tuesday night (AEST), he’ll do so feeling something he hasn’t in years: refreshed.
After his early exit at Roland-Garros in May, de Minaur made a candid admission—he was burnt out. Years of non-stop competition had taken their toll, both physically and mentally. And while the grind of the ATP Tour rarely allows for downtime, the world No. 12 knew he needed one—ranking points or not.
Instead of defending his Rosmalen grass title in the Netherlands—a decision that could impact his Wimbledon seeding—he chose to hit pause.
"I really needed a break,” he told AAP. “After Paris, I took a full week completely off tennis. No training, no hitting—nothing. That’s something I almost never do.”
In fact, trying to casually help fiancée Katie Boulter with practice only confirmed how drained he felt. "I didn’t enjoy it at all, and that’s when I knew something was off," he admitted. “So I gave myself a few more days. Since then, it’s felt better and better, and now I’m excited to be back.”
De Minaur used the time off to reconnect with the simple joys of a normal life—grabbing coffee, strolling through parks, playing golf, enjoying meals out. “It was about doing things regular people do. Tennis is such a high-pressure sport, always go-go-go. I needed to breathe.”
His tough loss to Alexander Bublik in Paris—from two sets up—wasn’t just frustrating; it was eye-opening. “In hindsight, that match made me realize how mentally exhausted I was. It forced me to step back and reflect.”
Sure, skipping tournaments meant a drop out of the top 10. But de Minaur isn’t sweating it.
“Yes, it could affect my Wimbledon seeding, but I’ve decided to stop obsessing over rankings every week. That mindset just adds pressure,” he said. “I’m learning to think like a top player—to trust that I don’t have to play every week to prove myself, but instead, show up strong when it really counts.”
Now, with his batteries recharged and perspective in check, de Minaur is ready to compete—not just physically, but with his signature fire and focus.
“Even if the results don’t come this week, I know this break was the right move,” he said. “In the long run, I believe it’ll pay off.”
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