De Minaur faces fitness battle ahead of tough Australian Open

AUSTRALIAN No.1 Alex de Minaur has arrived in Melbourne with his preparation for next week’s Australian Open still uncertain due to an abdominal injury picked up during last week’s ATP Cup.

De Minaur flew to Melbourne yesterday after revealing the injury forced him out of the Adelaide International.

“I started to feel something from the second match of the ATP Cup, against (Denis) Shapovalov. I just thought it was general tightness and you just play through it,” de Minaur said.

“When you are playing for your country you don’t worry about those things as much, you try and push your body to the limits and that’s what happened.”

De Minaur said he will now rest for a couple of days before talking to his medical team.

“It’s something that overnight is not going to get better but we are going to do everything we can to get in the best possible shape for Melbourne,” he said. “I’ll … start seeing all the physios and doctors and see what we can do.”

Despite a full nine days play in the ATP Cup, de Minaur said the margins between training and the need to put his feet up are minimal.

“I can hit fine at the moment, the only thing that bothers is my serving. Apart from that, I am good to go,” he said.

The 20-year-old confirmed he had been desperate to play at the Adelaide International and said pulling out was based on recovering in time to play the Australian Open.

“We are going to do everything in our power and hopefully come Monday next week I am ready to go for five hours again,” he said in reference to his narrow loss to world No.1 Rafael Nadal in the ATP Cup semi-final on Saturday night.

“A lot of people didn’t think I have the weapons to take it to the top guys (so) this does give me a lot of belief I can take it to top guys, it’s about having mindset every time I get on court, just believing.”