MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Alex de Minaur has generated much excitement among Australian fans after winning two titles, qualifying for the ATP Finals and breaking into the top 10 last year but he is determined to ignore the hype as he heads into his home Grand Slam.
Australia’s number one, dubbed the ‘Demon’, defended his ATP 500 crown at the Mexico Open in Acapulco and won the Libema Open last year, before a cartilage tear in his hip forced him to pull out of a Wimbledon quarter-final and miss the Paris Olympics.
However, he recovered from the injury to reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open and guide Australia to the semi-finals of the Davis Cup.
The world number eight has started 2025 in strong form, winning both of his matches at the United Cup, though Australia did not make it out of the group stage in the mixed team event.
“Over the years, of course there’s a little bit more chatter or more hype behind me,” he told reporters on Friday. “It hasn’t really changed what I need to do as a tennis player.
“My job is to walk on court and do my best to win tennis matches. I still have the same prep. There’s always going to be a lot of outside noise, but I’m very fortunate that I have a great team around me, we can focus on our own little bubble.
“We’ve got tunnel vision going into these types of tournaments, Slams.”
De Minaur may have a fight on his hands in the first round when he faces Botic van de Zandschulp, who stunned Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open. Looking deeper into the draw, he could face defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarters.
Asked if he could end a 49-year wait for the first Australian men’s singles champion at Melbourne Park since Mark Edmondson in 1976, De Minaur said: “I’m playing with a lot more confidence. I’m doing all the right things …
“It is a long tournament. It starts with the first round. So ultimately for me it’s always about having that tunnel vision, focusing on first-round opponent, which is a tough one, then do what I can. There’s always a chance.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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