De Minaur, Ashleigh all set to lead home charge

MELBOURNE: An ice bath, a massage and a private jet ride from Sydney to Melbourne after winning his first ATP title has refreshed Alex de Minaur enough for him to state he is ready to lead the host nation’s hopes for the men’s title at the Australian Open.

The 19-year-old wore down Italian veteran Andreas Seppi 7-5, 76 (7-5) to win the Sydney International late on Saturday — his second match in five hours.

He then had to rush to Melbourne yesterday on a private jet — “a small one” — to finalise his preparations for his first round clash with Portugal’s Pedro Sousa at the season opening Grand Slam today.

The teenager had criticised Australian Open organisers on Saturday for the scheduling after defeating Frenchman Gilles Simon in the semi-finals, but was in a more conciliatory mood yesterday.

“I’ve done everything to recover. Hopped in the ice bath, had a massage. I’m ready to go... the body is feeling good,” De Minaur, who is the 27th seed and highestranked Australian in the men’s singles, told reporters.

“It’s (the Sydney title) given me a lot of confidence. To be able to do it at my home in front of my friends and family, it’s always that much more special,” he said.

De Minaur is one of 12 Australians in the men’s singles and seeking to become the first local to win the title since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

Ashleigh Barty also had to make a hurried dash to Melbourne after she lost the Sydney final to Petra Kvitova in a third-set tie-break and is also scheduled to play today evening against Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum on Margaret Court Arena.

The World No 15 will also bear the burden of expectation from a home crowd who are waiting to end a similarly-long drought in the women’s draw. The last local champion was Chris O’Neil in 1978.

“You know, I’m excited to get out there and try and play my best tennis for myself, my team and the Australian public, but there is certainly no extra pressure from them,” Ashleigh said on Saturday.