De Minaur can show he’s the next gen
FROM Milan to Melbourne, Generation Next has arrived and it is Australian Alex de Minaur with the golden opportunity to validate predictions he will be the country’s next men’s Grand Slam champion.
The Sydneysider, who spent the summer juicing up his power game in a bid to go from bullied to bully against the kings of the draw, will take on Jannik Sinner for an Australian Open quarter-finals berth in a rematch of the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals title match.
De Minaur lost the sport’s 2018 and 2019 young gun finals in Milan, but the form line from that tournament illuminates his bright future on the biggest stage.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) beat de Minaur in 2018 and has played in two Australian Open semi-finals and a French Open final since, while 2017 Next Gen champion Hyeon Chung (South Korea) played the following Australian Open semifinal, but retired against Roger Federer with foot blisters.
In 2019, Sinner saved all nine break points against de Minaur to prevail 4-2 4-1 4-2 in the Fast4 format, with the Aussie banking close to $1 million from his back-to-back finals defeats.
They enter their Round 4 rematch at Grand Slam level bursting with optimism. Sizzling Sinner, 20, is undefeated this year, while determined de Minaur, 22, is on a nine-set hot streak at Melbourne Park.
De Minaur is the tournament’s best returner – he has defended 85 per cent of serves – and has vowed to swing hard against the Italian kid who spent his junior years on the slopes as a national skiing champion.
Federer has praised Sinner’s strength, speed and ball-striking, while Novak Djokovic declared he had the talent to become his country’s fifth slam champion.
With Federer and Djokovic sitting out the 2022 Australian Open the spotlight has shifted to the new kids on the block.