De Minaur hits 50 wins in a standout 2025 season
Alex de Minaur celebrated a milestone that underpins one of the most accomplished seasons of his career, securing his 50th tour-level win with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges at the Shanghai Masters. The win not only demonstrated his consistency but also set up a high-stakes quarterfinal with Daniil Medvedev, a familiar foe and one of the few players he has to beat to claim a Masters 1000 title.
The milestone places the Australian number four among a group of players achieving 50 wins this season, underscoring how far he has come since his breakthrough years. De Minaur’s 50-18 record in 2025 equals and even surpasses his best previous campaigns, and his 37 hard-court victories lead the tour.
Season context: masters and milestones
For a player who has twice reached Masters semifinals and once made the final at a Masters event, the Shanghai run offers a real prospect of his first Masters 1000 crown. In 2024, de Minaur claimed two titles, and in 2025 he has already won in Washington, signaling his intent to sustain momentum through a demanding late-season schedule. The absence of Carlos Alcaraz at this event has altered the draw, but the field remains stacked with sharp competition in Shanghai’s humid conditions.
Match details: the route to Medvedev
The straight-sets victory over Borges reflected de Minaur’s ability to tighten when it mattered most. After earning the decisive break at 6-5 in the first set, he rode a wave of confidence into a dominant second set, finishing with 19 winners to just 10 unforced errors over 1 hour and 48 minutes. His performance in Shanghai has been framed by a mental edge as he navigates brutal heat and testy conditions that have affected several top players this week.
Next up is a familiar test against Daniil Medvedev, a 12-time meeting rival who leads their head-to-head 7-4. Medvedev showed grit of his own in overcoming Learner Tien in a grueling, nearly three-hour match, despite battling cramps and fatigue. The matchup in Shanghai will be a battle of variation and resilience, with de Minaur hoping to leverage movement, steadiness, and a consistent first serve to turn the tide in his favor.
What a win would mean for the Australian’s ambitions
A victory over Medvedev would push de Minaur into the semifinals and bring him a step closer to locking in a place at the ATP Finals in Turin. He would then face the winner of Felix Auger-Aliassime versus Arthur Rinderknech for a spot in the championship bracket. With the points race tight behind leaders like Auger-Aliassime and Musetti, every match in Shanghai doubles as a chance to consolidate or climb in the year-end standings.
Quotes and the broader picture
“For me, it just shows consistency and that is what I am most proud of,” de Minaur said after securing the 50th win. “Showing up every single week, and it is an amazing number. I am hoping for many more to finish off the year and not stay at 50. It has been a successful trip to Asia so far.”
The Australian’s sentiment echoes a season spent balancing heavy-weather conditions with relentless competition. With the Masters 1000 title still eluding him, de Minaur’s ongoing run in Shanghai represents a critical chapter in a year he has already defined by resilience and steady improvement.
Looking ahead
Beyond Medvedev, the path to the final could involve potential opponents such as Auger-Aliassime or Rinderknech, both looking to tilt the balance in what promises to be an open draw. For de Minaur, every round in Shanghai is not just about extending a win streak; it’s about translating consistency into a Masters trophy that would cap one of the best seasons of his career.
