With new-found firepower, unshakable perception and a ferocious urge for food to show the doubters unsuitable, Alex de Minaur is a person on a mission at tennis’s ultimate grand slam of the yr.
Fresh off his first look in an ATP Masters 1000 ultimate, de Minaur will spearhead a powerful 14-strong Australian problem on the US Open beginning in New York on Monday.
The world No.13 will open his marketing campaign towards Kazakh qualifier Timofey Skatov filled with confidence after climbing to a career-high rating in 2023 thanks largely to a steely concentrate on beefing up bodily.
De Minaur has lengthy been revered for his lightning pace however derided for missing the weapons off the bottom to match the game’s heavyweights on the most important levels.
Novak Djokovic ruthlessly dismantled de Minaur for the lack of simply 5 video games on this yr’s Australian Open fourth spherical in an all-too-familiar actuality verify for the dogged baseliner.
But he is since claimed 4 top-10 scalps, together with 2021 US Open champion and former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev, after growing his first-serve velocity and hammering down deliveries in extra of 210km/h.
“It’s been no secret that’s an area of my game that I’ve been constantly trying to improve,” de Minaur mentioned.
“Probably up there with one of the things that is going to take me to the next level is to be able to get more free points on serve.”
That and a siege mentality not dissimilar to the me-against-the-world perspective that helped carry his Davis Cup captain and mentor Lleyton Hewitt to US Open glory and world No.1 standing 22 years in the past.
“Ultimately, the tennis world maybe isn’t as excited with what I’ve got to bring to the court is probably the way I would describe it,” de Minaur mentioned.
“A lot of people don’t realise how hard it is to get to the position I am, and the amount of work that’s gone into it.
“I’m the kind of man that is set to work for each level. I’ve bought to seek out options. I’ve bought to have a look at my opponent and attempt to discover his weak spot and exploit it.
“A lot of people might not appreciate what it takes to be where I am right now.
“But the great thing about that’s that I do know I’m going to push each single ounce that I’ve bought in my physique, in myself, to get to the most effective degree that I can.
“And I’ll be very happy once I’m retired and I’m sitting on my couch. I’ll be able to look at my career and say, ‘You know what? I achieved great things just by pure hard work and determination’.”
De Minaur, who’s projected to run into third seed Medvedev within the fourth spherical, is amongst seven of the 9 Australians within the males’s singles who will play first-round matches on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
Australia’s No.2 Alexei Popyrin, up towards Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker, and wildcard Rinky Hijikata, enjoying Russian Pavel Kotov, will fly the flag on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
All 5 Australians within the ladies’s singles – 2022 quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Saville, wildcard Storm Hunter, qualifier Olivia Gadecki and fortunate loser Kim Birrell – additionally function on day one.
AUSSIES IN ACTION ON DAY ONE OF THE US OPEN ON MONDAY (TUESDAY AEST). PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING:
Women’s singles, first spherical
Ajla Tomljanovic v Panna Udvardy (HUN)
Daria Saville v Clervie Ngounoue (USA)
Storm Hunter v 10-Karolina Muchova (CZE)
Kim Birrell v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Olivia Gadecki v Mirra Andreeva (RUS)
Men’s singles, first spherical
Alexei Popyrin v Dominic Stricker (SUI)
Rinky Hijikata v Pavel Kotov (RUS)
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
