As Alex de Minaur reached his first Australian Open quarterfinal his mother Esther was seen bursting into tears and sobbing in her husband’s arms. It was Esther who first took action to help his son realize his potential when he was growing up. The journey from Tiny Tots Tennis to the last eight of the Grand Slam Down Under would have raced through her mind, as she stood in the stands overcome with emotion.

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, the family of the Aussie ace has been a source of unwavering support.

Alex de Minaur’s parents come from two different nationalities

Alex de Minaur’s father, Anibal, is of Uruguayan descent and is an entrepreneur, who owns a number of car wash companies. Anibal had an Italian restaurant on George Street in Sydney, which he ran for more than two decades. It was at this restaurant he first met his future wife, Esther, who began working as a waitress at the restaurant. Currently, he runs his car wash business in Spain.

Esther is Spanish and paid a visit to Australia for a unique reason in 1995.

⁠“I was in love with Australia since I was a little girl due to a kids’ show called Secret Valley. The music to it was Waltzing Matilda,” Esther said. “I could finally go on a working holiday visa to Sydney in 1995 and fell in love with it straight away. Australia holds a very special place in my heart, not just as the birthplace of my boys, but as a place I called home for many years.” After meeting Anibal she settled in Sydney and married him. She has had a key role in shaping her son’s career as a tennis professional.

While Alex was born in Sydney, the de Minaur family moved to Spain when he was five, before returning to Australia eight years later.

Alex picked up a racket at just three years old. His interest in tennis sparked while watching matches on TV and his parents quickly recognized his talent. When his mother saw a sign advertising Tiny Tots Tennis, she knew what was the next step in the then preschooler’s career.

“I bought him a racquet that was big enough and took him to try out,” she recalled in the Australian Women’s 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.

However, his career was nearly halted as a severe financial crisis hit the de Minaur family.

Financial crisis nearly derailed Alex’s career

In 2011, Alex De Minaur was one of the brightest tennis prospects in Spain, but his parents faced a financial crisis. Anibal de Minaur was unable to afford his son’s travel and tennis coaching expenses. They contacted Tennis Australia who eventually decided to finance De Minaur’s career and provide development facilities to aid his development as a pro

Today, Alex has 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 in Spain 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.

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 and more so his family.

Alex de Minaur’s mother revealed why she got emotional over his son’s last 16 win

Following his impressive win over Alex Michelsen, Esther was overcome with emotions and was seen in tears in the stands. “It was an incredible moment for me because I knew how much it meant to him and how hard he’s been working to achieve this,” she said afterward.

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. Esther also mentioned the reason behind her getting emotional for his son.

“He deserves every bit of success he achieves. ⁠It’s been surreal, in a way. He knew from when he was a kid that that’s what he wanted to do, but as a parent, you always support and encourage – but worry at the same time that something will go wrong, and he won’t achieve his dream. That’s why each step towards his goal is a very emotional moment for me,” she said.

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.

If he maintains this momentum, he could make Australians proud—especially his family—who celebrated his quarterfinal achievement this year!

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!