Nick Kyrgios Claims What Needs to Happen for Alex de Minaur to Win the Australian Open 2026

Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur will be the two Australians headlining the Australian Open.

Nick Kyrgios Claims What Needs to Happen for Alex de Minaur to Win the Australian Open 2026

Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur (via Punto de Break)

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Nick Kyrgios has been the Australian hope for many years. He has come close, reaching the Wimbledon final in 2022, but hasn’t lived up to the potential that broke the internet in 2014. Now, as he’s no longer an elite player, he believes that another Australian can become a Grand Slam contender.

Kyrgios, who has won only one match in 2025, believes that Alex de Minaur can compete for the Australian Open. However, he stands firmly behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the pecking order. He told AAP:

Alex is doing an incredible job, honestly. I think he’s a genuine contender at this Australian Open. Maybe not in a best-of-five-set Grand Slam, the way Alcaraz and Sinner are playing right now. But if one of them were to fall early, I’d say Demon is one of the other three or four players who really have a chance to win.

Sinner and Alcaraz have won the last eight Grand Slam titles. Moreover, Sinner won the two ATP Finals in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Combined, they have won 8 Masters 1000 titles as well.

De Minaur did get to the Australian Open quarterfinals last year. However, the Australian was blasted off the court by Sinner in less than 90 minutes.

Nick Kyrgios shows sympathy for Holger Rune

Former Wimbledon finalist Holger Rune has reflected on the unpredictabilities of an athlete. The Australian quoted Holger Rune‘s injury as an example for it.

That’s the only thing I tell athletes now, and not just tennis players: you can’t take being there for granted. Everything happens so fast. One second you have it all figured out, and then suddenly you suffer an injury and your whole career flashes before your eyes. We’ve seen injuries like Holger Rune’s , who ruptured his Achilles tendon. These injuries can happen very suddenly, and it’s a terrifying feeling.

Holger Rune
Holger Rune (Image via X/Holger Rune HQ)

Rune suffered an unfortunate complete rupture of his Achilles tendon in Stockholm. Consequently, he was sidelined for the remainder of the season and won’t be on tour for most of 2026 as per reports.

Kyrgios himself is not a stranger to injuries. He has hardly competed since the 2022 US Open, only winning one match, which came at this year’s Miami Masters.

Nick Kyrgios drops new sponsor

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios made his return to unofficial competition over the weekend. He played at the Atlanta Cup and the Tennis Garden Cup. Fans also noticed that he stepped onto the court with a new look.

Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios

The Australian star previously worked with Nike. This time, he wore clothing from Stack Athletics. He sported a black shirt, beige shorts, and his usual backwards cap.

Kyrgios recently became the owner and creative director of Stack Athletics. He was announced in the role at the end of last month. His appearance in the new gear marked the start of that partnership.

The timing comes just before his upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” match. He will face Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai on December 28. After years of injury struggles, Kyrgios has fallen outside the top 600 in the rankings.

Also Read: (Video) Carlos Alcaraz Escapes Injury Scare After Joao Fonseca Hits Fierce Shot at Him in Miami