Alex de Minaur is currently enjoying something of a hot streak, having translated his strong form from the Laver Cup back into ATP Tour-level events.
And, whilst he did suffer a scare earlier today against Quentin Halys, the Aussie navigated these perils well to secure his spot in the China Open quarter-finals.
His toughest test in Beijing is yet to come, with Andrey Rublev next, but Alex de Minaur has no reason to fear anyone.
Especially given the legendary figure who seems to have joined him in his coaching box, with Lleyton Hewitt having been pictured for his latest win.
Alex de Minaur confirms coaching situation after Lleyton Hewitt pictured in his box in Beijing
Speaking at his press conference, it was unsurprisingly one of the key topics discussed.
Asked whether his compatriot had plans to stick around for a long period, or if he was just enjoying a brief stint, De Minaur poured water on any theories about an all-Aussie link-up, tying the past with the present.
He revealed: “He’s helping me out for the next couple weeks. He’s been someone that’s always been there in my corner and has done so much for me. It’s amazing to have him here helping me out. Looking forward to what’s next.”
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Then, asked about Katie Boulter’s presence in the box and whether she ever calls out any advice, De Minaur added: “No, I mean, a lot of tennis is moments, how you approach each and every point, right? Sometimes it’s not about the tactical side of things; it’s about trying to be free or go after the ball, be positive. These are the types of things she will let me know.
“It’s great. The same thing I do for her. It is always a different voice, which is great. But 100% having the bench so close, you can kind of have some good interactions. Before he was serving for it, I kind of just basically told them that if I don’t break now, I’m in trouble, so… Let’s try and get the break.
“Thankfully and luckily it kind of was a big change in momentum and a key game.”
This comes not long after De Minaur shared his hope for Australian women’s tennis, which is quite a pertinent topic given this Aussie reunion in China.
Alex de Minaur’s golden opportunity to finish the season strong
This has been an indifferent year for De Minaur, who has struggled to find the consistency needed to continue challenging for elite honours.
As such, he has won just one title and reached another final, but seldom threatened beyond that.
This final stretch of the 2026 campaign represents a golden opportunity to end the season on a high, especially given Jannik Sinner’s ongoing injury struggles.
Last year, it felt like De Minaur was thwarted by the Italian every other week, as he knocked him out of the China Open, the Vienna Open, and the semi-finals of the ATP Finals.
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The world number one has not played since Wimbledon.
The Italian is already set to miss the Shanghai Masters, casting real doubt over whether he will play again in 2026.
De Minaur could therefore look to replicate his form from this time last year, and without such a huge hurdle, might be able to sneak a title or two to turn the season from an okay one into an outstanding one.
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