Alex de Minaur loses Masters 1000 final in Toronto

A massive world rankings bump will help console Alex de Minaur after a loss in the final in Toronto.

Alex de Minaur will climb to 12th in the world despite losing in Toronto. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images/AFP

Australian Alex de Minaur fell well short in his quest for the first Masters 1000 final but will jump to within touching distance of the world’s top 10 after losing in Toronto to world No.8 Jannik Sinner.

It continued Sinner’s unbeaten run against de Minaur, having won all six of their encounters, this time with a crushing 6-4 6-1 victory.

While de Minaur missed his first ATP Masters crown, Sinner finally captured his maiden breakthrough after losing two Miami Open finals – in 2021 to Hubert Hurkacz and this year to Daniil Medvedev.

Sinner, 21, also became the youngest Canadian ATP Masters champion since Alexander Zverev won as a 20-year-old in 2017.

Despite the defeat, 24-year-old de Minaur’s consolation is a new career-high ranking of 12th ahead of the US Open starting in two weeks.

“It was a breakthrough week for me,” de Minaur said.

“I had a nice week here in Toronto. I played some great tennis and it gave me a taste of it. My maiden (Masters 1000) final and I will be back.”

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" 👏

Third Masters 1000 final, first triumph, @janniksin downs de Minaur 6-4 6-1@NBOtoronto | #NBO23pic.twitter.com/68GFaXSU3C

— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 13, 2023

It was the fourth final of 2023 for de Minaur, who claimed his seventh career title in Acapulco and lost to world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s and the fourth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas two weeks ago in the Los Cabos decider.

But playing against his doubles partner in Toronto, the Australian never got going.

He dropped his first service game to trail 2-0 and while he rallied to get things back on level pegging at 4-4, Sinner took the first set in 54 minutes.

But the second set was a runaway for the Italian, who steamrolled de Minaur to win the eighth title of his professional career.