A heartbreaking end to his Wimbledon exploits came through a hip injury sustained moments before match point in his fourth round match.

Subsequently being forced to withdraw from his maiden Wimbledon quarter-final against Novak Djokovic, the injury didn’t go away properly.

Despite returning to the US Open and again making the last eight, De Minaur’s movement was heavily compromised in his defeat to Jack Draper.

Now back on the tour and with a couple of wins under his belt, the Australian has given a curious update ahead of the season finale.

Alex de Minaur reflects on ‘tough’ year as he gives fitness update

A gutsy opening round win against powerful German Jan Lennard Struff set the second seed on his way in Vienna.

A tough next round against rising star Flavio Cobolli awaits in round two for the Australian.

Speaking on his injury woes, Alex de Minaur was frank about the upheaval and disappointment it has caused.

“It hasn’t been easy by any means,” the 26-year-old told Tennis.com. “Not being able to play and almost having the opportunity taken away from my hands to go out there and compete, keep striving and playing off that confidence has been tough.

“So now we’re here at the end of the year, I’m not feeling 100 percent healthy, but there’s not too many chances to play matches,” De Minaur admitted, clearly ruing the missed opportunities for points this autumn.

An enterprising and creative player, De Minaur’s movement, craft, and speed is what’s propelled him into the top 10 – the first Australian to reach it since Lleyton Hewitt.

With Jannik Sinner having so far completely dominated the hard-courts, De Minaur outlined how he faces a disadvantage to many players on tour when it comes to the indoor hard-courts.

“The best players in indoor events are normally the bigger hitters. They’ve got perfect conditions for them to hit the ball and nothing’s really hurting them too much,” he said.

“Me being a little bit on the smaller side, I’ve got to navigate those things and find ways to try and hurt my opponents in different ways. And not let them unload, use their power and these perfect conditions to play,” the Australian explained, perhaps weathering expectations for the ATP finals he’s yet to qualify for.

“So that means trying to be a bit more aggressive, trying to dictate a little bit more. Those are the types of things I’ve got to do well in these conditions to get good results.”

Alex de Minaur still has a lot to play for this year

As the 2024 season draws to a close, the Australian still has much to fight for on multiple fronts.

He remains in contention for a spot in the ATP Finals, hoping to secure enough points in the final tournaments to qualify for the prestigious event in Turin.

Due to strong performances earlier in the year, he is within striking distance of breaking into the elite top eight.

Additionally, he is a key member of Australia’s Davis Cup squad, with his versatility and consistency make him an essential player – especially given his part in guiding them to second place last year.

Balancing individual and national ambitions, there is plenty of reason for De Minaur to finish the season on a high note – whether his body permits it is another question.

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