Source : ABC NEWS
Alex de Minaur says it is “super exciting” to have Nick Krygios back in action, and expects him to be the centre of attention in both Brisbane and Melbourne over the next month.
De Minaur, who will compete for Australia in the United Cup team competition in Sydney from January 28, said he was looking forward to having Kyrgios back on court.
“I think it’s super exciting for Australian fans to have him back,” the 25-year-old de Minaur told reporters in Sydney.
“I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of eyeballs on him getting started in Brisbane.
“It’s great to have Australian tennis going out so strongly and showing that we are a very strong force to be reckoned with.”
Kyrgios has played just one match on the ATP Tour since the 2022 US Open quarterfinals due to career-threatening wrist and knee injuries.
In the 15 months since surgery, Kyrgios has frequently toyed with giving up the sport, only to make a return ahead of this year’s Australian Open at the Brisbane International, and qualified for the Australian Open using a protected ranking from prior to his injury.
Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios played together in the 2020 ATP Cup. (Getty Images: Corbis/Steve Christo)
In his absence, De Minaur has been going from strength-to-strength, ending the year a career-high ninth in the world despite dealing with a debilitating hip injury that hampered him throughout the ATP Finals, and saw him forced to withdraw from Wimbledon.
De Minaur won two tournaments in 2024, on grass at ‘s-Hertogenbosch and on the hard courts of Acapulco, reached a career high ranking of sixth in the world and knocked over a number of the world’s top 10 players on the way, including Novak Djokovic at last year’s United Cup.
The Sydneysider noted there was little time to enjoy his accomplishments: “This old tennis world, there’s not a lot of time to unwind,” he said with a grin.
But he did say he was able to reflect on what had been a superb season, while targeting more in 2025.
“I have enjoyed the moment, I’ve done my best to relish the achievements we’ve had this year,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of highs and a lot of lows, with the injuries.
“More than anything it’s just given me a lot of hunger to build for better things.
“This whole preseason I’ve been motivated because I want more. I want to keep pushing myself and hopefully I can accomplish that this year.”
Now, mercifully injury free, De Minaur said he was looking forward to competing in Sydney.
“I’m feeling great. It was a tough year dealing with that [groin injury],” he said.
“I’m glad to finally put it on the backburner and forget about it.
“I’ve felt very good in this off-season, we’ve put in a lot of good work, the body is feeling very comfortable.”
Alex de Minaur had a tough time with injuries in the latter part of 2024. (Getty Images: TPN/Frey)
De Minaur will take on Argentina, featuring world number 39 Tomás Martín Etcheverry, and Great Britain in Group F.
Given De Minaur’s long-term partner Katie Boulter will suit up for Britain, the match up is not necessarily ideal for the Australian: “Not my ideal kind of interesting,” he said of the draw with a smile.
But personal relationships aside, De Minaur said the one-week tournament was perfect preparation for the Australian Open — and the entire year ahead.
“I think it was extremely important,” De Minaur said of Australia’s run to the quarterfinal last year.
“I think I was able to use the confidence that I gathered in the first week of the year and basically had my best year to date, so obviously it was a very important week for me,” he said.
“It’s great coming at the start of the year and basically tuning right from the start.
“I’ve been blessed with playing some of the best players in the world at the start of the year, and it is the perfect way to get ready for the Australian Open and seeing where your level’s at.”
De Minaur has reached the fourth round at the Australian Open but, given he made the quarterfinals of the other three slams this year and unwilling to detail any firm targets for 2025, he has set his sights higher this summer.
“Keep improving,” De Minaur said of his main goal.
“Going deep in the slams, playing the best guys in the world, trying to almost every week.
“I’ve had a taste for it this year and now it’s about tweaking a couple of things and now it’s about doing that on a almost weekly basis.
“I learnt a lot about myself, how to overcome certain situations when I haven’t been feeling my best, physically, I’ve learnt a lot about my competitive nature and of course, I learned what I need to do against the best players in the world.
“It’s always going to be really tough but it’s about taking it to them and not being afraid of the battle.”
