Alex de Minaur has taken a different stance from many of his fellow players at Wimbledon this year, choosing to acknowledge the tournament organisers' efforts on prize money rather than joining protests. While stars like Jannik Sinner have limited media time to 15 minutes in the first week to protest prize money and other concerns, the world No. 6 from Australia recognised Wimbledon's significant steps forward.
De Minaur Acknowledges Wimbledon's Prize Money Progress
Speaking at the All England Club, De Minaur said: "I was definitely a part of it and I think the sense that we had at Roland Garros was everyone was on board and I think even though we didn't as a collective achieve the numbers that we were looking for, I thought that Wimbledon made a big step in the right direction and something that should be noted."
The 27-year-old elaborated on his decision to break rank: "So for me, it felt like it was, kind of in a way, this is for me to acknowledge their big step. Because of course, they didn't need to. We're still probably hoping as a whole that we eventually get to that number, but this is by no means a small step. It's a big step in the right direction and I think as a whole, we're hoping that it trends towards that side of things. So I'm still very much on board with what we're trying to achieve as a collective but this is kind of me acknowledging a big step in the right direction."
Advice for Maya Joint Facing Serena Williams
De Minaur also addressed the situation of compatriot Maya Joint, who has been drawn against Serena Williams in the opening round. Williams is back in the main Wimbledon draw for the first time since stepping away from tennis in 2022, having received a wildcard for the women's singles.
Drawing from his own experience facing his idol Rafael Nadal, De Minaur offered advice: "The words of advice here so often are 'treat it as any other match, any other opponent'. It's easier than done, right? That's just the reality of it and I think over the years, playing these types of opponents, then you get more used to it and more accustomed to it. And you can focus a little bit more on playing tennis than giving so much respect before the match has even started."
Facing Idols on Centre Court
He recalled his own experience: "I played Rafa here on Centre Court and, yeah, I mean, you're excited but you're nervous at the same time. You give them so much respect because of everything they have achieved here but sometimes you've got to try and remember to give yourself that respect, that you earned that spot and to be there and that it's different timelines when you're playing certain players."
De Minaur noted the difference in facing a legend at different stages of their career: "I played Rafa a couple of times. I played him early in my career and at the end of my career and as I played him a couple more times then it was clear that he wasn't in his prime, like I did when when I first played him. So you start to understand that, you start to give yourself a little bit more credit and respect and then you can go out and play the tennis match on its own terms, but it's not easy."
Belief in Joint's Competitive Spirit
De Minaur expressed confidence in Joint's ability to handle the daunting scenario: "I feel like very few people can cope with that situation, and that's just the truth. How often have we seen someone be able to deal with a situation on that magnitude easily? I think Maya is a terrific competitor. I've got no doubt that she'll go out there and compete and hopefully she can settle in quickly."
He highlighted the importance of a strong start: "I feel like a lot of these matches, the start is so important. If you can get yourself going early stages, then all of a sudden it just feels like any other match. But the issue is if you start it on the back foot and things start to slip away quickly, it becomes harder and harder to get out of that hole. But I think Maya's going to compete, it doesn't seem like too many things faze her, so that's that's a real positive and I'm wishing her nothing but the best."
