Demon's $1m solace as Alcaraz leads him a merry waltz

Alex de Minaur has ended up acknowledging ruefully that Carlos Alcaraz is just too “annoyingly” brilliant after he suffered another drubbing in the Vienna Open final at the virtuoso hands of his Spanish nemesis.

But if the Australian didn’t seem completely dispirited by his seventh straight defeat to Alcaraz, a comprehensive 6-1 6-4 drubbing, it may have been because he had a million other reasons to feel consoled.

Even though he still couldn’t cope with the seven-time grand slam champ while playing some outstanding stuff himself, de Minaur could take solace from learning he’d won the lion’s share of the ATP Bonus Pool as the most consistent performer in ATP 500 events over the season.

The fixed bonus is just over $US1 million ($A1.4 million), and with other variable bonuses on offer from the governing body, could end up being north of $US1.2 million ($A1.7 million). That’s not to mention the 281,500 euros ($A449,000) de Minaur won for finishing Sunday’s runner-up.

And it wasn’t just financial good news either.

“As for myself, it’s been a great week too,” he told the Wiener Stadthalle crowd, who’d been enthralled by some of the rallies these two wizards conjured up, even if Alcaraz as ever proved just that bit more magical.

For de Minaur could also take much satisfaction from having knocked out new world No.1 Alexander Zverev in the semis while having played surely his best tennis of the season.

Now he’ll fly straight to the Paris Masters, the decisive last qualifying event for the ATP Finals, knowing he’s in the eighth and final spot for the Turin end-of-season men’s championship.

“It’s great to have you back on tour,” de Minaur told the Spaniard on court, but couldn’t resist adding with a smile: “I will say one thing though: it is very annoying to play against you!

“But you’re one of the good ones, one of the great guys on tour.”

Nobody was arguing. De Minaur wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been able to cope with the rejuvenated brilliance of 23-year-old Alcaraz, who lifted his fourth title of the season and the 28th of his career without dropping a set all week.

After the wrist trouble that ripped a hole in his season, he really is looking back to something like the world-beater who lifted the Australian Open crown at the start of 2026, so de Minaur was right not to feel dispirited.

“I’m proud to be standing up here and still fighting,” he said, knowing he’ll move back to No.8 in the world from No.10 this week after reaching his third final of the year.

“So I’m excited for what’s left for this year, and hopefully I can continue pushing and have a longer year.”

Alcaraz, who has dropped only two sets to de Minaur in their seven contests, never looked back after a scintillating start when he caught the Aussie cold by breaking in the first game, before uncorking a champagne cross-court backhand winner to earn a second break en route to a 4-0 lead.

Happy to eke out a single game in the opener, de Minaur was competitive in the second, producing three sensational points at 3-4, break-point down, just to stay in the fight.

But serving to stay in it at 4-5, Alcaraz went into overdrive, and after applying the pressure to grab match point, played a fittingly wonderful clinching rally, delivering a drop shot, a lob and then a killing forehand, his 14th winner of the match, which clipped the baseline to seal the deal.

“He’s really fast, you have to earn every point. You might have a winner against everybody - except him,” said Alcaraz, acknowledging his opponent’s excellence and noting that de Minaur never stops trying to improve.

It’s just that one or two players are just too annoyingly good.