Alex de Minaur, the Australian tennis player, appears unlikely to increase his participation in doubles events on the ATP Tour anytime soon. Despite being undefeated in doubles this year while representing Australia at the United Cup alongside Storm Hunter, de Minaur has openly stated that he does not enjoy playing doubles. His recent early exit at the Mexican Open, where he lost to world number 103 Patrick Kypson, reinforces his focus on singles rather than doubles play.
Before his match in Mexico, de Minaur responded to questions from tennis fans on TikTok, where he candidly addressed his limited doubles involvement. He said,
“I don’t play doubles, because I’m not great at doubles,”
and added,
“I get frustrated playing doubles, so yeah that’s probably the reason why.”
This frank admission highlights his preference for singles competition despite some past doubles experience.
De Minaur’s Past Doubles Experience and Performance
While Alex de Minaur rarely competes in doubles on the ATP Tour now, he has a history of doubles participation throughout his career. He has competed in doubles events at every Grand Slam tournament, but has never progressed beyond the second round at these major events. His most recent ATP doubles appearance was at the China Open in Beijing, where he played alongside Alejandro Davidovich Fokina but exited in the first round.
De Minaur’s mixed doubles activity is similarly limited. He has only competed once in mixed doubles at a Grand Slam, partnering with his fiancée Katie Boulter at Wimbledon. The pair reached the second round before being eliminated and have not competed together since.
Notable Highlights in De Minaur’s Doubles Career
Despite his expressed frustration with doubles, de Minaur has experienced significant success in the format, earning a prestigious Masters 1000 title. At the 2020 Cincinnati Open, he won the doubles championship alongside former top 10 singles player Pablo Carreno Busta. This remains de Minaur’s only ATP doubles title to date, and notably, he has earned more Masters 1000 doubles titles than singles titles.
Even though he has conveyed little enthusiasm for doubles, de Minaur has entered the Indian Wells tournament to compete in doubles with fellow Australian John Peers. This decision suggests he may occasionally commit to doubles events, especially when partnering with compatriots.
De Minaur’s Focus Moving Forward in Singles and Doubles
Alex de Minaur’s hesitation toward doubles reflects a clear preference for singles competition, likely to focus on enhancing his ranking and performance against top opponents like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. While his doubles record shows capability, his admitted frustration and self-assessed limitations in doubles skills indicate that singles will remain his priority moving forward.
His upcoming participation in doubles at Indian Wells may offer another chance to reassess his position on doubles play within his broader career strategy. For now, de Minaur’s emphasis on singles and measured doubles appearances demonstrates a thoughtful approach to managing his professional tennis commitments.
