Alex de Minaur, Australia’s No. 1, is on a roll. He just reached his first Australian Open quarterfinal after a hard-fought win against Alex Michelsen. This milestone is a refreshing breakthrough for the 25-year-old, who has spent over a decade chasing major titles. With a career-high ranking of No. 6 achieved in July 2024 and eight ATP titles to his name, De Minaur is determined to make his mark. Through it all, his family has been a source of unwavering support for the Aussie ace.

Born and raised in Sydney, Alex picked up a racket at just three years old. His interest in tennis sparked while watching matches on TV. His mother, Esther, and father, Anibal, quickly recognized his talent. Esther saw a sign for Tiny Tots Tennis and took action. “I bought him a racquet that was big enough and took him to try out,” she recalled in Womens Weekly. “He was the only kid who could hit the ball over the net.”

From that moment, Alex impressed everyone with his skills. After his first lesson, the coach told Esther, “You know what? I’ve seen children this age and older all over the world, and I’ve never met a kid as coordinated as your son.” Even dubbing the young tennis enthusiast as “the next Wimbledon champion.” The rest is history.

Today, he’s earned the nickname ‘Demon’ and seems to have been practicing with the best from the start. “From four years old he would watch tennis on TV and imitate the exact forehand that so-and-so had,” Esther shared. “Lleyton was his idol. He would cry if it was raining and training was canceled.” He later received mentorship from former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.

Alex played tennis in Australia for two years before moving to Spain at age five when his family relocated. A dual Spanish-Australian citizen, he is fluent in Spanish and considers Alicante his home. However, Australia had a special place in his heart. “I used to represent Spain but I always felt I was Australian,” Alex said to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2017. He certainly prides himself on it, with his “109” on his chest because he was the 109th player to represent the Australian Davis Cup team.

Interestingly, Alex had options when he turned nine. He excelled at soccer and golf but ultimately chose tennis. His soccer coach was understandably upset, dubbing him the next Ronaldo. However, Esther respected her son’s wishes even though both coaches believed in his potential.

While de Minaur is yet to win a Grand Slam, he’s well on his way to clinch one. His incredible run at the 2025 Australian Open has generated excitement among fans. If he maintains this momentum, he could make Australians proud—especially his family—who celebrated his quarterfinal achievement this year!

Alex de Minaur’s road to the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinals

After battling past Botic van de Zandschulp, Tristan Boyer, and Francisco Cerundolo in the first three rounds, de Minaur delivered a thrilling performance at Rod Laver Arena on January 20. With his parents, Esther and Anibal, and fiancée Katie Boulter cheering him on, the Aussie came out firing. He dominated the first set against Alex Michelsen, wrapping it up 6-0 in just 27 minutes.

The 20-year-old fought back hard in the second set, pushing it to a nail-biting tie-break, but De Minaur held his nerve to edge ahead. The third set saw Michelsen step up his game, but a crucial slip in the sixth game gave De Minaur the chance to close it out—and he didn’t miss. The moment he sealed the win was pure magic.

The packed crowd of 14,820 erupted as cameras caught a touching scene in the stands: Esther, overcome with emotion, had tears in her eyes as she hugged Anibal and Katie. “His mum Esther is overwhelmed,” Todd Woodbridge said during Channel 9’s broadcast. The Australian Open Instagram account later posted the moment with the caption: “A win that meant more 🫶🇦🇺 The moment Alex de Minaur reached his first AO quarterfinal and his mum Esther couldn’t contain her emotion 🥹.” It was a special night for the De Minaur family—and for Aussie tennis fans everywhere.

But the road ahead gets tougher. Up next is world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has dominated their rivalry with a 9-0 head-to-head record and hasn’t dropped a set against De Minaur. To make his first Grand Slam semi-final, De Minaur will need to bring his absolute best. And maybe channel some of that electric home crowd energy. Can he pull off the upset? Let us know what you think!