De Minaur Clinches Rotterdam Title, Jokes with Boulter About “Copying” Success
Alex de Minaur has served up a cheeky message to his fiancée, fellow tennis star Katie Boulter, after snapping his own title drought with a commanding victory at the Rotterdam Open. The triumph comes hot on the heels of Boulter’s own emotional win, sparking a playful exchange between the power couple.
De Minaur delivered a masterclass on Sunday, dismantling the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime to claim one of the most significant titles of his career. This marked his third attempt at the Rotterdam final, having fallen short in the previous two. His victory places him in esteemed company, becoming only the second Australian, after Lleyton Hewitt, to lift the prestigious trophy.
The timing of de Minaur’s win is particularly amusing, occurring just one week after Boulter ended her own long wait for a title with an emotional victory over Tamara Korpatsch at the Ostrava Open. Boulter, clearly amused by the synchronicity, took to social media to playfully comment on her partner’s success.
“He just can’t let me have a week,” she posted, accompanied by a laughing emoji.
She continued with a lighthearted jab, “Stop copying me. Another week, another title.”
The Australian tennis ace showcased some of his finest form against the Canadian world No. 6. Auger-Aliassime, who had himself won the Montpellier Open just the week prior and had been virtually unbreachable on serve, finally saw his streak of 78 consecutive service holds broken by de Minaur. The world No. 8 then went on to secure a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory, marking his first indoor title.
This hard-fought win is a testament to de Minaur’s perseverance, especially after his previous final losses at the Ahoy Arena to formidable opponents like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
“I mean, third time lucky,” the 26-year-old beamed after the match. “I’m so super happy. It ended up being a great week here, a place where I always feel really, really good. I was just a step short the previous years, so it feels great to finally be able to lift the title.”
While the sport’s top two players were not competing in the Netherlands, Auger-Aliassime had been enjoying a purple patch of form, including a near-perfect semi-final performance against Alexander Bublik. However, de Minaur, who became the first player to reach three consecutive finals at the Rotterdam tournament, found an elevated level of play. He needed just 77 minutes to dispatch Auger-Aliassime, etching his name in the tournament’s 54-year history as only the second Australian champion.
Emulating Lleyton Hewitt’s 2004 victory, de Minaur, the first to make it to three-straight finals at the Ahoy Arena tournament, never allowed the 25-year-old indoor specialist Auger-Aliassime to find his rhythm. De Minaur played aggressively, dictating play from the baseline. He broke Auger-Aliassime’s serve in the sixth game with two stunning passing shots and maintained his dominance thereafter.
In contrast to his semi-final match, where he managed only three winners against Ugo Humbert, de Minaur unleashed 10 winners against Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian, despite his considerable power, could only muster six winners. De Minaur’s relentless pressure prevented Auger-Aliassime from replicating his earlier form. Towards the end of the match, Auger-Aliassime required treatment for an apparent hip issue, possibly a result of his demanding week and eight-match winning streak.
This should not, however, detract from de Minaur’s exceptional performance. He outplayed an opponent with whom he has shared a long-standing rivalry since their junior days. While Auger-Aliassime had previously held a 6-3 advantage in their head-to-head encounters, he conceded afterwards, “Alex was just a bit too good.”
“For sure, it was my best tennis of the week, and that’s what it’s all about, just doing my best to rise up to the occasion,” de Minaur stated. He managed to break Auger-Aliassime’s serve three times without conceding a single break point on his own serve.
The Australian’s impressive victory also caught the eye of Dutch royalty, with Prince Constantine of the Netherlands enjoying a courtside seat. De Minaur expressed his satisfaction with his week’s progression, saying, “Every day I got better, and I’m super pleased with the performance.”
This marks de Minaur’s fifth ATP 500 title, a category of tournaments just below the Masters and Grand Slam events. He has accumulated more wins in these events than any other player since the start of 2023, with 53 victories.
This early-season success is expected to serve as a significant boost for de Minaur as he aims for greater achievements at the highest levels of the sport. His 11th ATP tour-level title places him joint-sixth on the all-time Australian men’s champions list in the Open Era, alongside legends Mark Philippoussis and Pat Rafter.
