Alex de Minaur Finds His Clay-Court Confidence Ahead of Monte Carlo
Alright, here’s something I didn’t expect to be saying just a year ago—Alex de Minaur is finally warming up to clay courts. And not just tolerating them—he’s thriving . For a guy who’s been known more for his speed, grit, and success on grass and hard courts, this shift in mindset is huge. And it's arriving just in time as we dive into the always brutal but fascinating clay season leading up to the French Open.
At Monte Carlo, where the clay season kicks into high gear, De Minaur has made it clear: he's not just showing up, he’s coming in with purpose. “It’s definitely a very physical part of the year,” he said, acknowledging that the demands of clay are different—longer rallies, more creativity, and serious endurance. But rather than seeing that as a hurdle, he’s using it as motivation. He knows grass is just around the corner, a surface he loves, but for now, he’s digging in—literally and mentally.
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What’s interesting is how De Minaur talks about this transformation. It wasn’t love at first slide. Growing up in Spain, you’d think clay would’ve been second nature, but his playing style—flatter strokes, fast transitions—never quite fit the mold. Now, though? He’s found a way to make his game work for the surface rather than against it. He said, “I’ve finally been able to understand my game well enough and know how I can be dangerous on this surface.”
And that understanding comes from experience. Last year, making it to the quarter-finals of a Masters event on clay gave him the belief that he belonged. It was a breakthrough moment, proving he could hang with the best on a surface that once felt alien to him.
What’s also worth noting is his mental game. Take his Australian Open run, for instance—he got taken out by an in-form Jannik Sinner, who then went on to win the whole thing. Instead of stewing over the loss, De Minaur took it in stride. “It was like being slapped in the face,” he said. But he didn’t dwell—he saw it for what it was: Sinner was simply better that day. That maturity is showing up everywhere in his game now.
So far in 2025, he’s been solid—final in Rotterdam, quarters in Doha, fourth round in Miami and Indian Wells. He’s in the top 10. He’s playing doubles again in Monte Carlo, teaming up with Jan-Lennard Struff. It’s his first ATP doubles event since Queen’s last year. Singles is still the focus, but adding doubles to the mix shows he’s building all-around sharpness.
As he lines up to face Tomas Machac or Sebastien Baez, De Minaur knows what he wants from this stretch: no off weeks, no mental dips. Just consistency and growth. And with the clay season now something he embraces instead of endures, he might just surprise a few more people.
Watch this space—because Alex de Minaur might be gearing up to make some serious noise on the red dirt.
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