Alex de Minaur has had an underwhelming 2026 campaign thus far, and he’d likely be the first to admit it.
After all, having made very evident strides all throughout last year, the hope was that he could build on the foundation he had forged for himself.
Sadly, he has done anything but, and is showing no signs of quelling his current slump in form.
If things continue in this vein, he might be forced to make a tough decision, but one that feels more and more obviously the right one.
Alex de Minaur’s disappointing fall off in 2026
Alex de Minaur actually started 2026 quite positively, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, where he was beaten by the eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, before winning the title in Rotterdam.
It marked the perfect foundation for a year of success, but what has occurred since has been anything but.
Will Alex de Minaur finish 2026 ranked inside the top five?
He has since won just four matches across the next three months, losing six. The Aussie just cannot seem to make a deep run at any event right now.
And, what’s most frustrating is how much clear progress he had made in 2025, only to see that melt away in the first few months of the new campaign.
If he has serious ambitions of challenging the world’s very best, with De Minaur having outlined his plan to unsettle Alcaraz and Sinner, then he needs to make a very drastic change.
Alex de Minaur needs to hire a new coach
He need not completely overhaul his entire coaching staff, but the 26-year-old clearly could do with some fresh input.
After all, whilst many praise De Minaur for maximising what he has been given in terms of his speed and relative lack of height, there is still more that can be done.
| Event | Round reached | Defeated by |
| Australian Open | Quarter-finals | Carlos Alcaraz |
| Rotterdam Open | Winner | N/A |
| Mexican Open | First round | Patrick Kypson |
| Indian Wells | Second Round | Cam Norrie |
| Miami Open | First Round | Stefanos Tsitsipas |
| Monte Carlo | Quarter-final | Valentin Vacherot |
| Barcelona Open | Second Round | Hamad Medjedovic |
| Madrid Open | First Round | Rafael Jodar |
On his day, he is capable of playing attacking, front-foot tennis that could unsettle any player.
And yet, he finds himself falling back into old patterns when faced with Alcaraz or Sinner, hanging tight but never really threatening. Interestingly, this is actually a similar issue to what Alexander Zverev is dealing with, and he has explained how he is trying to overhaul his entire game to change his fortunes.
Can anyone now stop Jannik Sinner from winning Roland Garros after Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal?
If yes, who?
For the German, it might be too late, with time ticking as he seeks to win that elusive Grand Slam title.
However, for De Minaur, if he were to make such a drastic, bold, but clearly obvious decision, it could be the catalyst that not only saves his season but turns him into an actual threat in the years to come.
