Newcombe: De Minaur Headed For Top 10
Alex de Minaur will begin 2019 as the highest-ranked Australian man.Aussie legend John Newcombe says the 31st-ranked de Minaur can crack the Top 20 next year and has the potential to be a Top 10 mainstay.More: De Minaur, Barty Share Newcombe Medal HonorThe 19-year-old de Minaur and Ashleigh Barty were jointly awarded the Newcombe Medal on Monday at the Australian Tennis Awards in Melbourne.Hall of Famer Newcombe says de Minaur is headed for major heights.“This kid’s something special. He’s just got something,” Newcombe told The Sydney Morning Herald’s Darren Walton. “He’s done a fantastic job this year and the top eight in the world is certainly there [for him] because he’s got a good brain, he’s got a great all-court game and he’s dedicated to improving himself.”
De Minaur, who fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the NextGen Finals title match in Milan earlier this month, said he’s aiming to reach the second week of a Grand Slam next year.“That’s one of the goals,” de Minaur said. “I played some great tennis this year, especially Wimbledon and the US Open, so I feel like the level’s there.“I’ve been close against the top guys and now it’s time to learn from the mistakes I did against those guys and hopefully I can get over the line in those big matches going forward.”Photo credit: Alex de Minaur Instagram]]>
