Alex de Minaur kept his ATP Finals hopes alive by defeating Taylor Fritz in his final group stage match in Turin.
De Minaur smashed his unwanted record against top 10 players by defeating the American to get his first ATP Finals win.
The Aussie needs a Carlos Alcaraz victory against Lorenzo Musetti to ensure he qualifies for the knockout stages of the tournament.
Laura Robson revealed on Sky Sports what de Minaur’s partner, Katie Boulter, had told her before the match.
Katie Boulter shared Alex de Minaur’s game plan before Taylor Fritz match
The Australian bounced back from the disappointment of losing to Musetti in his second round match to take the first set from Fritz.
During the changeover, Robson revealed a conversation she had with de Minaur’s fiancée Boulter, ahead of the match.
She said: “I was chatting to Katie Boulter before the game and she said: ‘He might just go out there and tee off’, and that’s what he’s doing! He’s added so much power to his game.”
“As soon as something does drop short, we see that move forward. It’s such a positive way of playing and the casual walk to the chair after that set, like it’s not a big deal.”
That wasn’t the only communication Robson had with Boulter during de Minaur’s match against Fritz. The broadcaster was texting Boulter throughout the match.
“When he won the first set, all of a sudden we started looking at scenarios, and she said he did not know the scenario, he knew he had to win but did not know all the possible outcomes. She mentioned he was pretty grumpy but as long as he was winning it was okay!”
The Australian is playing at his second consecutive ATP Finals in Turin after arriving at the tournament as the world number seven.
Alex de Minaur criticised for his comments at the ATP Finals
De Minaur was distraught after his loss to Musetti at the ATP Finals, and he cut a forlorn figure at his press conference.
The star questioned whether he was up for the challenge against his fellow top 10 players, but former American pro Ryan Harrison believes he made a mistake by being so open.
“He talked a lot about it at his post-match press conference. It was tough to watch. I’m a big Alex de Minaur fan, I’ve known him since he first came through. I’ve got to be honest, I didn’t love how open he was while still in the middle of the draw.
“Taylor’s coming off a heartbreaking loss as well and I would have liked to see him hold things a little bit closer to his chest while the tournament is still going on.
“Seeing that Tour headline where Alex was struggling a bit, I think that gives Taylor a little bit more hope. You have to feel for Alex nonetheless.”
Before his victory over Fritz, his last top 10 win in an ATP-level event came against Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros in 2024.
