ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2025

Alex De Minaur

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Alex, tell us how your preparations have been coming into this Grand Slam.

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, yeah, very, very happy to be here again in Paris. Feel like I've got in some very good prep. I had a great training week where I was able to relax and make sure I come here nice and fresh and ready to hopefully play some good tennis and go on a deep run.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously Katie got a win on the clay last week. That wasn't always necessarily her favorite surface. In terms of clay, do you feel that inspires you to do even better on the clay than previously?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, yeah, now she's got something that she can put over my head for a very, very long time, is that she's officially got a title on clay and I don't.

Looks like I'm going to have to ask her a couple tips here and there. She's officially the clay specialist in the relationship now (smiling).

Q. What do you expect for this year's tournament? What are your goals?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, look, I'm feeling good about my game. I think I've become a completely different version on this surface over the last couple years. I feel like it is a tournament where I can do some damage.

Obviously it is a Grand Slam and it's never easy by any means. But look, I'm going to keep my head down. The plan is to be in Paris for a long time. Let's just say that. I don't want my trip in Paris to be a short one.

Q. You're here in Paris. What are you expecting from the French crowd and the atmosphere?

ALEX de MINAUR: I'm expecting them to be very loud like we usually hear every time here in Paris (smiling). The French public is very passionate. They support their home players with a lot of passion, as they should.

Well, I'm not playing a French player just yet. For the time being, I'm safe (smiling).

Q. I believe you had a lucky charm last year at the tournament with a young kid supporting you. Have you made plans to contact him? Are you going to have another lucky charm this year basically?

ALEX de MINAUR: Well, yeah, obviously last year with Paul was amazing. We went on a pretty cool journey. We kept in contact. Paul came to support me in Paris, as well, at the end of the year.

The plan obviously is to keep that tradition going. Yeah, hopefully I can win many, many matches and he can be there to support.

Q. When you talk about being a different version of yourself on the clay, could you expand on that. What is it that's brought that about? Has it been one specific thing or...

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I think it's been understanding my game on the clay. Over the years, at least at the very start of my career, I used to struggle a fair bit. I think there's an element of me getting physically stronger that obviously helped me out a lot, but also understanding what I can do on a clay court to be effective.

Obviously there's things that I need to adapt and change, that's play with a little more spin and height. Still understanding that there's a lot of things that I can do on a clay court to hurt my opponents. Understanding the balance between being too passive and too aggressive.

It's been kind of finding that happy medium that now I feel very comfortable on this surface. Doesn't matter who I play, I think I'm in for a good shot.

Q. You obviously play a very energetic game. How do you fuel before matches, during matches, even after?

ALEX de MINAUR: Look, I think I'll probably give the same boring answer that every other player does. Before matches, it's extremely boring. It's just anything plain, whether it's plain pasta with olive oil or plain rice with olive oil. That's always the key.

Now, for me at least, I tend to eat a lot. I like my food. Normally when it's dinnertime, I'm definitely a guy that will have an entree, have a main and potentially share another main with one of my team members, depending on the day (smiling).

Q. You can take all of that?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I mean, so far it's worked out. Over the years I've obviously gained a little bit more weight, more muscle. What I tell myself is I've got to feed the muscles, right?