Alex de Minaur Pays Classy Tribute to Stan Wawrinka After Beating Him at the Rotterdam Open

Stan Wawrinka to break into the ATP Top 100 next week following run in Rotterdam.

Alex de Minaur Pays Classy Tribute to Stan Wawrinka After Beating Him at the Rotterdam Open

Stan Wawrinka and Alex de Minaur (via X/The Tennis Letter)

In Short
  • Alex de Minaur defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-2 in the round of 16 at the Rotterdam Open.
  • De Minaur praised Wawrinka's remarkable career and contributions to tennis during his post-match press conference.
  • Wawrinka is set to break into the Top 100 ATP rankings after his performance in Rotterdam, becoming the oldest player in that ranking.

Alex de Minaur paid a sincere tribute to Stan Wawrinka after easing past the three-time Grand Slam champion in the round of 16 of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday (February 13). The Australian star revealed that Wawrinka is a special human being both on and off the court on tour.

Wawrinka, who is playing in his final season on tour, has been producing excellent on-court displays. At the Australian Open, he won two matches before losing to Taylor Fritz in four sets. He continued with the form at the Rotterdam Open, playing against Dutch lucky loser and tour debutant Thijs Boogaard.

Against Boogaard in the first round, he defeated the 23-year-old in straight sets to earn his place against the in-form Rotterdam 2024 and 2025 finalist De Minaur. On Thursday (February 13), he fended off two break points in his first service game against De Minaur, making sure that the match was tied 4-4 in the first set.

However, De Minaur found a way to break the 40-year-old in the ninth game and went on to serve for the set. In the second set, De Minaur made sure to break the 2015 champion twice early, which gave him the momentum, winning the match 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 11 minutes at the Rotterdam Open.

In Rotterdam, Wawrinka made it past the first round for the first time since 2023, which is brilliant for a player of his age. During De Minaur’s post-match press conference, he took time to praise the Swiss legend, stressing that he has had a remarkable career on tour, having won his three Slams at the peak of the Big 3 era:

He won Grand Slams at the height of the Big Three and Big Four, and it wasn’t as if he received those Grand Slams on a silver platter, but that he seriously beat the very best to win them. I remember watching those matches and laughing at the sheer power his shots could achieve; it was insane. He managed to explode onto the scene at a time when few people thought he would. Ultimately, he was a magnificent player and person…

Wawrinka began the 2026 season outside the Top 100, but following his run in Rotterdam, he’s sure to break into it next week. He currently sits at World No.106 in the ATP rankings and will be No.98 on Monday (February 16). He will be the oldest player in the Top 100, which is a remarkable feat.

Alex de Minaur gives his take on the mental toll injuries can cause to a player

A few days ago, Stefanos Tsitsipas opened up about how a back injury led to mental health struggles last season. The Greek star noted that he was on the brink of retiring from the sport as results on the court got worse due to injury. He failed to win more than two consecutive matches for five months and had to abruptly end his campaign in September.

Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic
Alex de Minaur (via Punto de Break)

Alex de Minaur was asked for his opinion about Tsitsipas revelation at the Rotterdam Open. The Australian star pointed out that in his 10 years of professional tennis, he has come to understand what to prioritize on tour and how to deal with bad times in his career:

We’ve all been on the tour for a while now. You’ve got Stan, who’s been a veteran. Even me myself, I’ve been out here 10, 11 years already, so time kind of goes by quickly. You start to learn a lot of things. You start to understand what’s important — the priorities, the stresses, everything that comes with the sport. There are some good times, there are some bad times. You’ve just got to navigate your way through it.

De Minaur is one of the favorites to win the Rotterdam Open. Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev were supposed to headline the ATP 500 event, but they withdrew due to a hectic Australian Open campaign. De Minaur will face Botic van de Zandschulp for a place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Also Read: Stefanos Tsitsipas Admits to Uncertainty About His Career Last Year Following Injury Struggles