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Boris Becker sees enough improvement in an already impressive Alex de Minaur to predict bigger things for Australia's No.1 male tennis player.
Alex de Minaur just wants to stay fit, but Boris Becker thinks he should be gunning for the world's top 10 as he prepares to plot the young Australian's downfall in next month's ATP Cup.
De Minaur and Nick Kyrgios will be part of Australia's team to face a German side captained by former world No.1 Becker and featuring world No.7 Alexander Zverev from January 3.
Still just 20, de Minaur surged to world No.18 with three titles in 2019 but according to Becker it's what he's yet to show that's most exciting.
"I think he made big strides this year, he has it all going for him and he can make improvements everywhere," Becker told AAP.
"He's got the quality to be a top-10 player, great attitude and effort, and one of the best coaches in the game with Lleyton Hewitt on his side."
"He's had some time now to work on his game (ahead of the ATP Cup) and even Roger Federer at 38 is still improving - there's never a moment you know everything."
In Brisbane on Saturday to launch the inaugural teams tournament, de Minaur said he would set simple goals next year after a campaign that began in frustration thanks to a nagging groin injury.
"The main goal is going to be, to be healthy the whole year," he said.
"I had a little bit of a step back in middle of year with injury and got sidelined, and it's not somewhere I want to go back to.
"So a lot of emphasis on keeping my body in the right shape to play a whole year, keep pushing myself and keep pushing my boundaries and keep trying to climb up the rankings."
De Minaur made his Davis Cup debut in Brisbane against Germany, where both he and ATP Cup teammate Kyrgios were humbled by a red-hot Alexander Zverev.
It sets up a tasty rematch in January, with Australia also due to meet Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas and a strong Canadian outfit before a potential finals series in Sydney.
"That's (the Davis Cup loss) in the back of my mind," he said.
"I've been putting in all the hard yards this pre-season to get to that match in the best possible shape and put a point forward for Australia."
