Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur made notable progress in 2025, but there’s still a clear gap between them and the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Both players broke into the top eight by the end of the year and reached the semi-finals at the ATP Finals in Turin. But even with those strides, their results against Alcaraz and Sinner showed there’s still work to be done.
Auger-Aliassime went winless in four matches against Sinner this season, while also falling short in his lone meeting with Alcaraz. De Minaur is still searching for his first career win over either player.
The good news for both is that they’ll get another shot before the Australian Open begins.
Auger-Aliassime and De Minaur still searching for answers against Alcaraz and Sinner
The Australian Open has announced its ‘Opening Week Showdown’ schedule, featuring several high-profile matches before the main tournament gets underway.
Alexander Zverev will take on Lorenzo Musetti in an exhibition match, and the One Point Slam is also back for a second year.
The event will include Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios facing off against amateur players in single-point matches, with a $1 million prize at stake.
In addition to those events, Alcaraz will play de Minaur on January 15, followed by Sinner against Auger-Aliassime on January 16.
If either player can pull off a win against opponents who have consistently troubled them, it could be exactly what they need heading into the Grand Slam.
Alcaraz vs De Minaur and Sinner vs Auger-Aliassime headline Australian Open Opening Week
Both players know there’s still plenty of work to do if they want to close the gap on Alcaraz and Sinner.
Speaking in November, Auger-Aliassime said: “The rankings don’t lie. Alcaraz and Sinner are the two best players, that’s a fact.
“They have different playing styles, but both exert extreme pressure on their opponent, each in their own way. No need to explain how they play, we all know.”
The Australian suffered losses to both during his run to the ATP Finals semi-finals but took a more positive view of where his game stands.
He said: “I feel like I’ve gained a lot of momentum recently in these types of matches [against Sinner and Alcaraz].
“I’ve gone from a stage where, hey, you go out there, you compete, but you’re not really getting a lot of chances. I do feel like I’m getting my chances, right?”
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