Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur made giant strides in the 2025 season, but they still have a long way to go before they can challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
The two men finished the season inside top eight, having both reached the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in Turin.
Despite their progress in the rankings, Auger-Aliassime and de Minaur continued to struggle against Alcaraz and Sinner.
Auger-Aliassime lost all four of his matches to Sinner, and also didn’t beat Alcaraz in their only meeting. De Minaur, meanwhile, is yet to beat either man in his career.
The pair have been given another chance to play the best two players in the world before the Australian Open kicks off.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Jannik Sinner and Alex de Minaur vs Carlos Alcaraz is set for the Australian Open
The Australian Open has confirmed the matches which will take place at the Grand Slam’s ‘Opening Week Showdown’ ahead of the main draw.
Alexander Zverev will play Lorenzo Musetti in an exhibition match, while the One Point Slam will return for a second time.
The One Point Slam will see the likes of Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios compete against amateur players in a one point match with $1 million on the line.
Who do you think will win more Grand Slam titles in 2026?
As well as those two matches, Alcaraz will also be in action against de Minaur on January 15, and Sinner will play Auger-Aliassime on January 16.
If either man can find a way to beat the players who have caused them the most problems on the ATP Tour, then it could provide them with the perfect boost heading into the Grand Slam.
Auger-Aliassime has not beaten Alcaraz since the Swiss Indoors in 2022, while his last victory against Sinner came at the Madrid Open in 2024.
What Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur think about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Auger-Aliassime and de Minaur are under no illusion that they need to improve to take down Alcaraz and Sinner.
In November, Auger-Aliassime said: “The rankings don’t lie. Alcaraz and Sinner are the two best players, that’s a fact.
“They have different playing styles, but both exert extreme pressure on their opponent, each in their own way. No need to explain how they play, we all know.
de Minaur, however, was slightly more positive about his chances of defeating the two men. At the ATP Finals, the Australian was beaten by both Sinner and Alcaraz during his run to the semi-finals.
At the tournament, he said: “I feel like I’ve gained a lot of momentum recently in these types of matches [against Sinner and Alcaraz].
“I’ve gone from a stage where, hey, you go out there, you compete, but you’re not really getting a lot of chances. I do feel like I’m getting my chances, right?”
Only time will tell if Auger-Aliassime and de Minaur can break their duck at the Australian Open and beyond.
