De Minaur Claims Rotterdam to Hit Career-High No. 6

Alex de Minaur stepped into the ABN AMRO Open final carrying the sting of two prior losses there, but this time the Australian flipped the narrative. He outlasted Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Sunday, securing his first title at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam and climbing two spots to a joint career-high No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings as of February 16, 2026. The breakthrough capped a bustling week on the ATP Tour, where Ben Shelton powered through to victory at the Nexo Dallas Open and Francisco Cerundolo grinded out the Buenos Aires crown, injecting fresh momentum into the season’s opening swing.

De Minaur unlocks Rotterdam’s fast-court rhythm

De Minaur’s game thrived on the indoor hardcourts’ brisk pace, where low bounces favored his flat groundstrokes and quick directional changes. He pressured Auger-Aliassime with deep returns that jammed the Canadian’s serve, forcing errors in extended crosscourt exchanges and converting key break points with inside-out forehands that hugged the lines. The 26-year-old’s one–two combinations—serve followed by aggressive net approaches—kept rallies short and decisive, turning the arena’s electric hum into a backdrop for his release after years of near-misses.

This win added 500 points to his tally, propelling him past rivals who stumbled early, and set a tone of calculated aggression for the hardcourt stretch ahead. Rotterdam’s compact layout amplified his speed, allowing down-the-line passes to pierce defenses and underscoring how surface tweaks can rewrite a player’s early-year arc. With the clay season looming, he carries this mental edge into bigger battles.

Veterans power up rankings ladder

Marin Cilic sliced through the Nexo Dallas Open draw without dropping a set, reaching the semifinals on the outdoor hardcourts and vaulting 18 places to No. 43—his first top-50 berth since May 2023. The Croatian leaned on his booming serve, mixing flat wide deliveries with body kicks to open the court for heavy crosscourt backhands that pinned foes deep in the Texas warmth. At 37, he joins Adrian Mannarino and Roberto Bautista Agut in defying the tour’s youth surge, his run a reminder that power honed over decades still cuts through.

Stan Wawrinka clawed back into the top 100 at No. 98 with an eight-spot rise, standing as the oldest there at 40—his 41st birthday nearing in March, outpacing even Novak Djokovic at 38 in No. 3. Wawrinka’s one-handed backhand, laced with topspin, disrupted rhythms on varied surfaces, evoking the tactical depth that once defined majors. The last 40-year-old in this bracket was Roger Federer at No. 97 in June 2022, making this return a testament to enduring craft amid the grind.

Christopher O’Connell embodied Aussie resilience, qualifying into Rotterdam’s quarterfinals after upsetting Valentin Royer and Cameron Norrie, then surging 24 spots to No. 95 at 31. His underspin slices skidded low on the indoor surface, buying time against power hitters and setting up counterpunching forehands that exploited stretched positions. Earning his way back into the top 100, he injects stability into a career marked by steady climbs.

Challengers and mid-pack shakers gain ground

Raphael Collignon ruled the ATP Challenger in Pau, France, dropping no sets across five matches to claim his fifth title there and jump 10 spots to a career-high No. 59. The Belgian blended slice approaches with inside-in forehands on the indoor hard, maintaining control in tight points and signaling his push toward the main tour. This flawless week nets him points that bridge levels, priming bolder swings in coming months.

Other top-100 shifts highlighted the week’s tactical variances: Denis Shapovalov rose five to No. 35 with versatile baseline shifts, Botic van de Zandschulp gained 10 to No. 55 drawing on home-hard familiarity, Quentin Halys added five to No. 72, Emilio Nava hit a career high at No. 76 with five up, Jan-Lennard Struff climbed five to No. 77, Alexander Shevchenko moved five to No. 79, and Vit Kopriva surged eight to No. 87. These gains, fueled by efficient serving and adaptive returns across Rotterdam, Dallas, and Buenos Aires, reflect a tour deepening its layers early in 2026. As players adjust to packed schedules, such momentum hints at surprises waiting in the majors ahead.