Source : ABC NEWS
Pressure is said to be a privilege, and this has never been lost on Alex de Minaur.
As Australia’s highest-ranked player in the world at number eight, de Minaur has become accustomed to bearing the weight of expectation.
It has grown considerably following a stellar 2024 season in which he cracked the top 10 for the first time and reached the quarterfinals of three of the four majors.
Hopes have swelled he will become the first local player to win the Australian Open men’s title in 49 years, although he will need to navigate a tricky draw if he is to achieve the feat.
He will face world number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals should they both progress to that stage of the tournament.
Already this week, de Minaur has reflected there will always be “pressure” and outside noise” when he descends on Melbourne Park for the season-opening major.
But de Minaur has identified a key ingredient that has helped him manage the heavy expectation he is carrying at the Australian Open.
“It’s really about planning,” de Minaur told his media conference after his second-round win over qualifier Tristan Boyer.
“It’s about having a healthy balance. I’ve got a great team around me that helps me in every kind of step of the way.
“As you win more matches, there’s going to be more media attention.
“But for me, nothing can change who I am as a person and what I need to do on the court, right?
“The priorities are always going to be what I do on the court. That’s trying to improve and be a better version of myself than I was the day before. That’s my number one priority.”
What de Minaur has done on the court so far this Australian Open has been impressive.
Consecutive straight-sets victories, both completed in clinical fashion, earned the 25-year-old a third-round berth in Melbourne for the sixth time in his career.
On paper, he should reach the quarterfinals and surpass the fourth-round showing he has recorded the past three years.
De Minaur believes he is a better player than he was 12 months ago when he went down in five sets to Andrey Rublev in the last 16.
De Minaur feels his serve has improved during the past year. (AAP: Lukas Coch)
He cites a beefed-up serve as one of the elements behind his improvement, saying he has become a “little bit bigger and stronger”.
“I think probably the biggest aspect (of my improvement) has always been the serve,” de Minaur said.
“Get more free points on serve, that’s been a goal for a very long time. Higher ball speed off the ground, ultimately.”
De Minaur meets 31st-ranked Francisco Cerúndolo in the third round on Saturday.
Argentine Cerúndolo has been ranked as high as 19 in 2023 and has never played de Minaur at the tour level.
