De Minaur’s Open season
NOW for the Australian Open. That’s the objective for Alex De Minaur after the teenager secured a precious December goal by nailing a main draw berth with Australian Open wildcard playoff victory yesterday.
Too steady for close friend Alex Bolt, De Minaur showcased impressive credentials with a resounding 6-2, 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-1 triumph. Ranked 208th in the world, De Minaur would have been strongly considered for a discretionary wildcard had he bypassed the playoff but decided to control his own destiny.
By blazing into the January 15-28 Open, De Minaur is guaranteed hefty prizemoney.
Supremely fit and determined to learn as much as possible from Davis Cup figureheads Lleyton Hewitt and Jason Stoltenberg, De Minaur will contest the Australian Open for the second time.
In January, he posted a stunning five-set win over Austrian Gerald Melzer to reach the second round.