CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2026

Alex De Minaur

Mixed Zone

A. de MINAUR/A. Rublev

1-6, 6-2, 6-3

Q. Talk about the match. What were the difficulties? What did you have to problem solve out there?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, look, I think Andrey came out hot off the blocks, playing some big tennis. There were some brutal rallies. He was not missing, very comfortable with my ball.

In a way I felt like I was making him play even better, giving him that same ball over and over again, giving him that rhythm.

What I did really well is change it up, use the wind to my advantage, try my best to give different looks, different heights, different spins, different speeds, try to get him out of that rhythm he was in.

Yeah, that was key to kind of turn that match around.

Q. You've gotten these back-to-back wins on a run. What does that do for confidence?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, it just shows that it's going to take a lot of good tennis to get through me, right? That's what I'm all about. That's what I keep on trying to do every time I step out there.

I think the way I've been able to turn these matches around, there's lots to be proud of. Some high-quality opponents playing some great tennis. It's not like kind of they're dipping and giving me the match. I've got to go out there and earn it.

Yeah, stoked to kind of win the battle.

Q. There are so many Chinese fans of you in the China Open. They cheer for you. Do you want to say something to them?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I mean, it is pretty cool to feel the love that I have felt here in China ever since I was very young. Going back to Zhuhai, I've had some great memories over here. I've always felt a lot of love from the Chinese fans. It makes it special coming back here.

Yeah, I've played some good tennis here over the years. I always feel comfortable.

Q. Do you have time to try some Chinese culture things and Chinese food?

ALEX de MINAUR: I haven't been able to go this year because I've come straight from Laver Cup. I haven't had time.

Last year we went to the art and design district, which was very cool. We were able to venture out and find some very good coffee shops, which we definitely enjoyed. Some very cool antiques and shops.

This year I've been at the courts and at the hotel. I've had no more time.

Q. Have you gotten into antiques?

ALEX de MINAUR: I like anything vintage, right? Whenever we go out, I feel like we haven't really gone into antiques too much because we don't have the time to, I guess, furnish a house fully. It's more the logistics side of things.

I'm sure once we're both done, that's something we'll definitely get into a little bit more and try to find different antiques, whether it's furniture or even there's a whole world out there.

Q. Conditions today, quite different to earlier in the week. How did you find them?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, it was very cold and very windy. I mean, in a way we were kind of lucky that we played on center court where you don't feel it as much. But definitely you could feel it out there.

I think early on he dealt with it a lot better. I wasn't doing what I could to use the wind to my advantage. It is tough always whenever I play in the wind, when I'm playing someone like Andrey, he's got the wind behind him, I've got the wind against me, I'm not the biggest hitter on tour, so it makes it a little bit more challenging to find different ways to hurt him.

I thought I did that well. I problem solved. When I had the wind on my side, then I gave him a lot of different shapes and shots and heights. Was able to kind of move him around a lot more.

Q. Hubie next. 3-1 on a head-to-head record. Your thoughts there?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I mean, Hubie is an incredible player, right? He's got the ability to take the racquet out of your hand, as we've seen many, many times. He's got an incredible serve. He's playing some great tennis with his confidence. He's very hard to beat.

Again, expecting another battle. There's nothing easy out here. I'm excited for it. It's going to be hopefully a good match where I can be tough, do my thing, try to counteract his, I guess, big serve and first ball.

Q. There is the debate going on in the tennis world right now about getting rid of five sets at Grand Slams until the quarterfinals. Do you think this takes away from the legacy of the game or could actually help the game connect more with a younger audience?

ALEX de MINAUR: Look, when you ask me something like that, there's two ways to look at it. If I look at it as the player, I don't want to get rid of best-of-five because I believe that that is the history and tradition of our sport, what makes Grand Slams truly unique. We used to have a lot more best-of-five matches. Davis Cup used to be best-of-five. Finals of Masters used to be best-of-five.

I understand when you're trying to sell a product, that kind of side of things, that debate. If me answering as the player that I am, I would not want to get rid of best-of-five.

Q. Do you have a chance to watch Katie's matches?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, I watch the matches. She's also watched mine. Today she had a good win in doubles.