'BURNT OUT': DE MINAUR OPENS UP ON MENTAL STATE AFTER GUTTING FIVE-SET LOSS

Alex de Minaur, Getty

We’ve learned what to expect when Alex de Minaur steps onto the court: 100 per cent intensity and effort from start to finish. It’s why he’s beloved by fans in Australia and all around the world.

But on Thursday at Roland Garros, we saw a different side of the ‘Demon’; a more human version, as he fell to unseeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik from two sets to love up.

“I’m just tired…tired mentally. I’m a little bit burnt out, if anything,” de Minaur admitted in his press conference, following a 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 second-round defeat in Paris.

Having won his past 19 matches against unseeded players at majors, it’s not at all the type of match that we would usually see de Minaur lose, particularly from a commanding position.

“I'm probably known for the opposite, which is just being consistent and not losing matches that I shouldn't be losing,” he said.

And while not taking credit away from Bublik, the Aussie felt his mental state cost him the match, rather than his opponent’s level.

“I think I lost that one. I put that down to myself. I feel like if I put in the level that I know I can, I don't lose that match,” he shared.

“Looking back at my Grand Slam career, I can't think of another match where I felt this way, and I ended up losing a match that I probably by all means shouldn't have.”

The Australian No.1 revealed he’s never felt so mentally fatigued by May, having already played 38 singles matches in the opening five months.

“I wouldn't say this early in the season that I've felt like this,” the 26-year-old said on his sense of 'burn-out'.

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In line with the thoughts of many players this week, including Jordan Thompson and Casper Ruud, de Minaur believes the tennis calendar is too relentless and demanding on players.

“The solution is simple: you shorten the schedule, right?” the Aussie suggested.

“What's not normal is that for the last three, four years, I've had two days off after Davis Cup, and I've gone straight into pre-season, straight into the new season again,” he added.

“It's just never-ending. That's the sheer fact of it.”

And while many will rightly suggest that tennis players still have it easy compared to the millions working long hours daily around the planet, it's probably not a fair comparison.

These are professional athletes that millions around the world are paying to see, but they don't enjoy the same luxuries as players in team sports.

For contracted players, who have their entire cost base covered by a club, it's a very different ride.

While the majority of players in the top-100 (and beyond) are travelling relatively cheaply, and covering their own costs for flights, accommodation, treatment, and their team (if they can afford one).

Even for top-10 players like de Minaur, who are earning a great living, it remains a serious issue when they're forced to choose between sacrificing points and prize money or playing through injury.

“My ranking right now consists of [three] zeros because I was injured and I couldn't play Cincinnati, Montreal, and Shanghai, which is ridiculous if you ask me, right? That's just the rules of the tour and where we are right now,” de Minaur said.

And the Aussie believes if something is not done, we'll see a trend of players retiring earlier, like we saw in the case of world No.1 Ash Barty in 2022.

“The solution is you shorten it, because what's going to happen is players' careers are going to get shorter and shorter because they're just going to burn out mentally. There's just too much tennis.”

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