Tennis
1 month ago
How De Minaur can go deep in Aus Open
By SEN
There's no way to make this look good.
A potential quarter final clash against Carlos Alcaraz awaits Alex de Minaur should he progress to the last eight of the competition in what stands to be a nightmare draw for the top seeded Aussie.
He opens his campaign at Melbourne Park against former world No 6 Matteo Berrettini who was a semi-finalist in Australia in 2022.
Should he come through that test he would face the winner of Navone v Medjedovic before a likely third round clash with No.29 Frances Tiafoe.
It would get no easier in the fourth round with newly ranked top 10 star Alexander Bublik before Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev in the semis and Djokovic or Sinner in the final (a speculated route to the final should De Minaur get through).
“It's a shocking draw – you can deal with one or two of those guys, but not four," Pat Rafter told SEN Breakfast. "But if anyone can do it, it’s the little fella.
"They are so bloody good, they hit the ball so hard. They just keep getting better.”
Despite being seeded at No 6 for this year's tournament - the highest he has been on home soil - reaching week two will be almost mission impossible for Demon.
Taking things one round at a time, there is an opportunity against Berrettini for the Aussie to exploit.
"If you’re looking at Alex’s gameplan, Matteo has a great serve and incredible forehand, so the defensive side for Alex will be big," tennis analyst Craig O Shaughnessy said.
"He must find a way to trouble Matteo with the backhand, he slices them and that’s a weak point he can exploit.
"Alex should be working on hitting into that backhand corner and have his hitting partner hit some slice. He can worry Matteo with that strategy."
In terms of what De Minaur thinks? He isn't overly worried.
"Hey, if it was meant to be easy, everyone would do it so I'm excited for the challenge," he said after the draw.
"I'm super happy (about my preparation), very excited to get started and we're just around the corner so hopefully I can put on a show for you guys...exciting times ahead."
Men's opening round clashes:
- Alcaraz vs Walton
- Sinner vs Gaston
- Zverev vs Diallo
- Djokovic vs Martinez
- Musetti vs Collignon
Aussie Men:
- No.6 Alex de Minaur vs Matteo Berrettini
- Alexei Popyrin vs Alexandre Muller (Zverev R2?)
- Adam Walton vs No.1 Carlos Alcaraz
- Aleksandar Vukic vs Thiago Augstin Tirante
- Tristan Schoolkate vs No.32 Corentin Moutet
Wildcards:
- James Duckworth vs Qualifier/Lucky Loser
- Jordan Thompson vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo
- Christopher O’Connell vs Qualifier/Lucky Loser
- Rinky Hijikata vs Adrian Mannarino
WOMEN'S
Reigning champion Madison Keys will open against Oleksandra Oliynykova but it's a tough quarter for Aryna Sabalenka. Despite landing a wild card for round one, she is in the top half with No.3 seed Coco Gauff and there's also potential last eight with Paolini.
Aussie women:
- Maya Joint (30) vs Tereza Valentova
- Daria Kasatkina vs Qualifier
- Ajla Tomljanovic vs Qualifier
- Kim Birrell vs Qualifier
Wildcards:
- Priscilla Hon vs Qualifier
- Talia Gibson vs Anna Blinkova
- Emerson Jones vs No.17 Victoria Mboko
- Taylah Preston vs Shuai Zhang
The Australian Open is back for another year and it’s the richest tournament in grand slam history!
This year’s prize pool totals $111.5 million which marks a 16 per cent jump in earnings across all stages of the tournament with the men’s and women’s winners set to pocket $4.15 million.
Prize Money Breakdown:
Men's and women's singles
- Winner: $4.15M (+19%)
- Runner-up: $2.15M (+13%)
- Semi-finalists: $1.25M (+14%)
- Quarterfinalists: $750K (+13%)
- Fourth round: $480K (+14%)
- Third round: $327.75K (+13%)
- Second round: $225K (+13%)
- First Round: $150K (+14%)
- Qualifying per round:
- Q3: $83.5K (+16%)
- Q2: $57K (+16%)
- Q1: $40.5K (+16%)
WHEN IS THE DRAW?
The Draw is set to take place on Thursday 15 January at 2:30pm AEDT with defending champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys set to take part alongside Todd Woodbridge and Jelena Dokic. It will be live streamed across YouTube and you can follow live on SEN.
WHEN DOES THE MAIN DRAW START?
Play gets started on Sunday January 18 this year to ease pressure should rain delays or extreme weather force matches to be stopped.
Play on the outer courts will start at 11am and on the show courts between 11am and 1pm. Evening sessions will start between 5-7pm depending on the venue.
The finals across singles and doubles are scheduled for January 31 and February 1.
WHO WILL WIN?
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the absolute favourites in the men’s draw but you can never write Novak Djokovic off in Melbourne while Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina will be heavily backed in the women’s draw.
SEN will be live from Melbourne Park throughout the tournament.
SEEDS
Men’s Singles
- Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
- Jannik Sinner (ITA)
- Alexander Zverev (GER)
- Novak Djokovic (SRB)
- Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
- Alex de Minaur (AUS)
- Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
- Ben Shelton (USA)
- Taylor Fritz (USA)
- Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
- Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
- Casper Ruud (NOR)
- Andrey Rublev (RUS)
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
- Karen Khachanov (RUS)
- Jakub Mensik (CZE)
- Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
- Francisco Cerúndolo (ARG)
- Tommy Paul (USA)
- Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
- Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
- Luciano Darderi (ITA)
- Tallon Griekspoor (NED)
- Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
- Learner Tien (USA)
- Cameron Norrie (GBR)
- Brandon Nakashima (USA)
- Joao Fonseca (BRA)
- Frances Tiafoe (USA)
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
- Valentin Vacherot (MON)
- Corentin Moutet (FRA)
Next in line: Tomas Machac (CZE)
Women’s Singles
- Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
- Iga Swiatek (POL)
- Coco Gauff (USA)
- Amanda Anisimova (USA)
- Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
- Jessica Pegula (USA)
- Jasmine Paolini (ITA)
- Mirra Andreeva (RUS)
- Madison Keys (USA)
- Belinda Bencic (SUI)
- Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
- Elina Svitolina (UKR)
- Linda Noskova (CZE)
- Clara Tauson (DEN)
- Emma Navarro (USA)
- Naomi Osaka (JPN)
- Victoria Mboko (CAN)
- Liudmila Samsonova (RUS)
- Karolina Muchova (CZE)
- Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
- Elise Mertens (BEL)
- Leylah Fernández (CAN)
- Diana Shnaider (RUS)
- Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
- Paula Badosa (ESP)
- Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
- Sofia Kenin (USA)
- Emma Raducanu (GBR)
- Iva Jovic (USA)
- Maya Joint (AUS)
- Anna Kalinskaya (RUS)
- Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
Next in line: Lois Boisson (FRA)
AUSSIES
(note Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the singles draw but will play men's doubles)
Men
No.6 Alex de Minaur
Alexei Popyrin
Adam Walton
Aleksandar Vukic
Thanasi Kokkinakis
Tristan Schoolkate
WILDCARDS
James Duckworth
Jordan Thompson
Christopher O’Connell
Rinky Hijikata
Women
No.30 Maya Joint
Daria Kasatkina
Ajla Tomljanovic
Kim Birrell
WILDCARDS
Priscilla Hon
Talia Gibson
Emerson Jones
Taylah Preston
