Australian tennis star Alex De Minaur opened up on facing 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal saying that “losing all respect” is the only way to beat him.
De Minaur, 25, weighed in how different it is to face Nadal, unlike others he has faced in his career so far. He talked about his encounter against the Spaniard during the third round of 2018 Wimbledon.
“So much physicality, even on the grass, so I can only imagine on a clay court. You have to lose all the respect you have for him and just play him as another player,” De Minaur told on the latest episode of All on the Table.
Although the Aussie lost the match at Wimbledon, he did bounce back and defeated the King of Clay at the 2023 United Cup 3-6 6-1 7-5 in his hometown Sydney. The two have faced one another for a total of four times and the Spaniard emerged victorious in three of them.
Nadal, with 22 Grand Slams and multiple ATP Titles to his name, has entered the last year of his career as the Spaniard has stated in the past that 2024 is likely to be his last year.
De Minaur compared Nadal with Jannik Sinner, the defending Australian Open champion, saying that the Italian possesses some characteristics of the Spaniard.
“The comparison now is Sinner,” he said. “His two-handed backhand is almost like a forehand because he’s getting so much force and rotation on it as well, and that’s the same with Rafa on the other side.”
During the same conversation, De Minaur talked about Casper Ruud, who is known to have one of the best backhands in the game.
“His [Casper Ruud] backhand cross is quite heavy, like a normal right-handed forehand in my eyes. The first time I hit with him, I was like, ‘What the hell?’ His backhand looks on TV a bit sloppy or slow, but it’s heavy, it’s crazy,” the Aussie said.
