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Alex de Minaur isn’t feeling the burden of public expectation after kicking off his first Australian Open marketing campaign as a top-10 participant.
Key factors:
- De Minaur defeated Milos Raonic 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 2-0
- Raonic was pressured to retire injured within the third set
- De Minaur says he is not anxious about any exterior strain on the Australian Open
De Minaur is Australia’s greatest hope of going deep on the season-opening main and he took step one on that journey with a win over Canadian Milos Raonic on Rod Laver Enviornment.
It was not the way in which de Minaur wished to advance to the second spherical, with former world quantity three Raonic withdrawing early within the third set on account of a hip damage.
For the report, de Minaur triumphed 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 2-0, having been given a scare when the big-serving Raonic received the opening set on the again of 9 aces.
Whatever the nature of the consequence, de Minaur moved by way of to arrange a conflict with Italian Matteo Arnaldi within the second spherical.
De Minaur began the 2024 season in excellent kind, highlighted by his unbeaten run on the United Cup that included a win over world primary Novak Djokovic.
He additionally defeated reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match on Rod Laver Enviornment final week.
His efforts whereas representing Australia on the United Cup have been sufficient to raise him to a career-high rating of 10.
The 24-year-old is the primary Australian to achieve the lads’s high 10 since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006.
His rating rise has captured the general public’s creativeness, with some clinging to the hope he may very well be the primary Australian in 48 years to say the lads’s title at their residence main.
However de Minaur stays undaunted, as he has gotten used to the strain of being Australia’s top-ranked male participant for a while.
“I have been on this state of affairs for a pair years now,” he advised his post-match media convention at Melbourne Park.
“In all probability the one factor that has modified is now that I’m on the rating that I’m, there’s somewhat bit extra hype round me.
“However saying that, I have not modified the slightest.
“For me, I nonetheless get pleasure from each second I am right here. It is a blessing beginning the yr in Australia, taking part in in entrance of my residence followers.
“I do not actually affiliate taking part in in Australia as nerve-wracking or extra strain. In actual fact, I affiliate it as simply pleasure.
“I stroll out and I’ve acquired an unbelievable crowd behind me, so I am very lucky for that.”
De Minaur credit a harder perspective on court docket as to why he has entered the revered high 10 on the rankings.
“I knew up to now that perhaps being a defender or counter-puncher wasn’t going to beat the highest guys on the planet,” he mentioned.
“I had to enhance in that side and develop a extra aggressive taking part in fashion.
“I feel that is what’s been getting me the wins in opposition to the highest gamers.
“It clearly provides me plenty of confidence realizing that I can do that within the larger levels and I can take it to the highest gamers on the planet.”
De Minaur has made the fourth spherical on the previous two Australian Opens.
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