Alex de Minaur is embracing the pressure and expectations after copping a devilish draw for the Australian Open in Melbourne.
De Minaur will launch his Open campaign against big-hitting Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, with former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas lurking as potentially the great home hope’s first big threat.
Seeded in the top eight at a grand slam for the first time, tennis’s ‘Speed Demon’ will need to hit top gear quickly.
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While now ranked a lowly 82nd in the world, van de Zandschulp ousted four-time major champ Carlos Alcaraz from last year’s US Open and has been as high as world number 22 before being hindered by injuries.
If he can get past van de Zandschulp, the eighth-seeded de Minaur will play either a qualifier or Argentine Federico Coria in round two.
De Minaur’s first projected seeded opponent is Argentina’s world number 31 Francisco Cerundolo in the third round, with 2023 runner-up Tsitsipas possibly awaiting in the last 16.
Last season de Minaur became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 20 years to reach three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals, raising hopes he can finally break the near-half-century home title drought in the Melbourne Park men’s singles.
“I genuinely can’t wait to get out there and play in front of my home crowd,” de Minaur told fans at the ASICS Tennis Summit on Thursday.
“I’ve become a better version of myself and there’s always a lot more expectations when you get out there for the first time of the year.
“But more than anything I’m just excited to play in front of you guys.
“I know they’ve got my back from the very first point to the last and, jeez, I’m excited to get started.”
Australia’s 25th seed Alexei Popyrin has drawn Frenchman Corentin Moutet and could face countryman Rinky Hijikata in round two.
World number 27 Jordan Thompson, who is also seeded at a grand slam for the first time, opens against a qualifier.
De Minaur will be on the hunt for his first major. (Getty Images: PA Images/Zac Goodwin)
Playing his first slam since reaching the 2022 US Open quarter-finals, Nick Kyrgios will face British world number 86 Jacob Fearnley, provided he can overcome an abdominal strain that forced his withdrawal from an exhibition match this week in Melbourne.
Thursday’s draw on the steps of Margaret Court Arena wasn’t overly kind to Australia’s women’s hopefuls.
Teenage sensation Emerson Jones, who is fast drawing comparisons with retired superstar Ash Barty, will make her main-draw debut as a wildcard against sixth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Ironically, Barty this week nominated Rybakina as her pick to take home the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, leaving 16-year-old Jones with a daunting first-round assignment.
Fellow young gun Maya Joint meets American seventh seed Jessica Pegula in her opener.
Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka starts against out-of-form ex-US Open champion Sloane Stephens as she strives to join the all-time greats to claim a title hat-trick in the professional era.
Martina Hingis was the last to achieve the feat in 1999, following in the footsteps of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Margaret Court.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to bring my best tennis every time I’m out there and hopefully I’ll be able to put my name next to those legends,” Sabalenka said at the draw.
Men’s top seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner opens against Chile’s world number 34 Nicolas Jarry.
And seeking an unprecedented 25th grand slam singles crown, 10-time Open champion Novak Djokovic will play American wildcard Nishesh Basavarareddy, the world number 133, in the first round.
AAP
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