Alex de Minaur

Alex de Minaur is an Australian tennis player, and one of the most highly touted youngsters on the tour right now.

De Minaur exploded on the scene seemingly out of nowhere at the start of 2018, notching up wins over Milos Raonic, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez on his way to a couple of semifinals. His defense and never-say-die attitude have drawn widespread praise, and many are calling him the second coming of Lleyton Hewitt.

Best finish at each of the four Grand Slams:

Australian Open: 2nd Round (2017)

French Open: 1st Round (2017, 2018)

Wimbledon: 3rd Round (2018)

US Open: 3rd Round (2018)

Highest Ranking: No. 33

Style of play

De Minaur is an out-and-out counterpuncher, relying on his speed and anticipation to elicit errors from his opponents.

The Australian has an unusual forehand, which he hits very flat and with a short backswing. His backhand is more conventional, and he can hit it equally well crosscourt or down the line.

De Minaur is comfortable with volleying, and occasionally comes to the net when he has the advantage in a rally.

Strengths and weaknesses

De Minaur's movement and foot speed are easily his biggest strengths. He is often likened to the Energizer Bunny due to his seemingly tireless running at the back of the court, and he has been known to out-defend even the most consistent of opponents.

De Minaur has a potent backhand, and his down-the-line version is especially effective. His forehand, however, is less reliable; the flatness with which he hits it means it can easily end up in the net with even a small miscalculation.

De Minaur has very soft hands, and is good at both volleying and slices. He has a decent serve too; it's not the quickest, but he has good disguise on it.

The lack of firepower in De Minaur's game is widely considered his most obvious weakness. He can get outhit by bigger players on a regular basis, and his reliance on defense makes him go through long rallies and long matches a little too frequently.

Personal life

De Minaur was born in Sydney, and has multinational ancestry. His father Anibal is from Uruguay, while his mother Esther is Spanish. The family currently live in Spain, where De Minaur undergoes all of his training.

The Australian started playing tennis at the age of four, after his mother introduced him to the sport. He had a very successful junior career, and he even reached the Wimbledon final in 2016 - where he was defeated by Denis Shapovalov.

De Minaur has been nicknamed 'Demon' (a play on his name), but most of his opponents would agree that he can resemble a demon on the court; he never stops running, and his movement sometimes looks supernatural.

Lleyton Hewitt was one of De Minaur's idols while he was growing up, so it's no surprise that his game reminds so many of the two-time Slam champion's. Considering how mentally tough the young Australian is, he could well go on to replicate Hewitt's feats in the coming years.

Social media presence:

Alex de Minaur Instagram: @alexdeminaur

Alex de Minaur Twitter: @alexdeminaur