Despite reaching a third consecutive Rotterdam Open final, Alex de Minaur is not entirely happy with his overall game.
De Minaur defeated Ugo Humbert to confirm his third final in as many years, but he is still looking for his first Rotterdam Open crown.
The star has lost to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in Rotterdam finals, and now he will face another tricky test against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
After confirming his place in the ATP 500 final, De Minaur shared multiple areas where he wants to improve his game.
Alex de Minaur wants to cut out ‘unnecessary mistakes’
De Minaur might have made it to another final in Rotterdam, but it wasn’t a vintage display against Humbert.
The star saved 10 break points and hit very few winners despite dispatching the Frenchman in straight sets.
Speaking after the match, the Australian revealed: “There are plenty of areas to improve. As I said, there are still unnecessary mistakes or unforced errors that aren’t normal, I would say.
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“They’re not balls where I’m trying to do too much — they’re what I call ‘nothing balls’ that I’m missing, and I need to cut down on that,” he added.
However, de Minaur is satisfied with his game as he continues to prove he’s one of the best players in the chasing pack behind Sinner and Alcaraz.
“Overall, my serve is working well. It’s giving me chances to break. As the days go on, I’m feeling more and more comfortable.
“It’s slow conditions, tricky balls — it’s hard to adapt, so it’s not going to be perfect. But for me, it’s all about adapting.”
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The Australian has played the Rotterdam Open for five straight years and he holds an impressive record at the indoor event.
The star’s three consecutive finals came straight after consecutive quarter-final appearances in 2023 and 2022.
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De Minaur lost to Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last eight, while they were at the very top of their game.
The Australian’s first appearance at the tournament was the first and only time he has lost in the first round of the event.
It came at the hands of his compatriot, John Millman, who defeated de Minaur in straight sets at the 2021 event.
