Wilander rap for de Minaur

FORMER world No.1 Mats Wilander has urged tennis types to “stay the hell out of” Alex de Minaur’s way and let the teenage sensation develop on his own terms.

Claiming de Minaur boasts more on-court intensity than Rafael Nadal and Lleyton Hewitt, Wilander says the 19year-old is something special and mustn’t be over-coached.

“He’s more alert than the two of them,” Wilander said in a gushing appraisal of Australia’s big new hope.

“He’s more energised, more positive. It’s all the time.

“I think sometimes Rafa and Lleyton were manufactured a little bit because it is good body language to do that, whereas he’s obviously raw.

“He’s unbelievably quick around the court with a good attitude around the court and with consistent strokes that don’t look like anybody else’s. “Yes, he’s going to get far, for sure.

“I’m very impressed. Very impressed.” De Minaur has stunned the tennis world with his meteoric rise up the rankings this year to be the secondyoungest player in the world’s top 50. His electrifying display in a dramatic five-set thirdround loss to three-times grand slam finalist and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic was the talk of Flushing Meadows on Sunday.

Coached by Adolfo Gutierrez and mentored by Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, the Sydney-born, Spain-raised talent doesn’t need to change anything to be a success, according to Wilander.

“Whatever he has now seems to be working,” the seven-times grand slam champion said.

“In general, I think people need to stay the hell out of him, out of his way, and let him develop in his own way and at his own pace.”