For just the second time in his career, Alex de Minaur is a Top 8 seed at a Grand Slam tournament. Yet, while tennis observers discuss the advantages this might bring him at 2025 US Open, the Australian star is less concerned these days about where he falls in a draw.
"I'd much rather be a top-eight seed than just be outside, but it's definitely a completely different mindset going into these kind of seedings,” said de Minaur in a press conference on Friday, ahead of his first-round matchup against fellow Sydneysider Christopher O'Connell this weekend.
“In the past there would have been a lot of focus on trying to make sure I do sneak a Top 8 seed, and I would be checking everyone else's scores and trying to make sure what needs to happen, all the projections, all these types of things," said de Minaur. “But this year, I've kind of just worried about playing tennis, and it's been great. I've really enjoyed that kind of shift of mindset.”
De Minaur is the No. 8 seed at the season’s final Grand Slam event, the same seeding he held at the Australian Open earlier in 2025. His run to the last eight at Melbourne Park marked his fourth consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, a fruitful span coinciding with a concerted effort to reframe the way he approaches his career. Rather than be so results-oriented, and too hard on himself, the 26-year-old has made it his intention to enjoy the process of developing into a better player.
Not only has this mindset translated to career-best Grand Slam results, but he also hit a peak ranking of world No. 6 last July and has produced excellent form throughout this North American summer swing. De Minaur won his 10th career ATP title last month in Washington, D.C., before advancing to the Canadian Masters quarterfinals, arriving in New York with 10 wins from his past 13 matches.
The US Open is the only major tournament at which he has reached the quarterfinal stage more than once. Last year, his second quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows came immediately after a significant period on the sidelines to heal a hip cartilage tear.
He’s in a much better place in 2025.
"It's completely different. Obviously this year I'm feeling very good. I'm feeling excited to get started,” he confirmed on Friday. “Last year there was a lot of uncertainty whether I was even gonna step on court, right? I wasn't really sure. And ended up being a pretty surreal week.
“Now this year, I feel in a really good spot mentally, physically ready to kind of get going more than anything, and hopefully get the ball rolling.”
De Minaur’s position in the draw has him avoiding world No. 1 Jannik Sinner until the semifinals, and second seed Carlos Alcaraz until the final. Should he get that far, on hard courts he loves, the Australian’s thoughts about those potential match-ups reflect his growth mindset.
"They're ultimately, right now, the two players to beat, right? They've shown it over the last couple of years,” de Minaur said of the duo who have combined to win the past seven majors.
“For us, we've got to do our best to rise up to the challenge, take it as that challenge, accept that challenge and go after them. So for me, it's about putting myself in the right positions, give myself the opportunities, those chances," he explained. “If I'm playing either Carlos or Jannik, it means I'm in a good spot in the tournament. It means that I'm playing those two guys in the matches that I want to be playing them, which is deep in the Slams.
“So I'm looking forward to hopefully having the chance to do that.”
