Alex De Minaur earns prickly Australian Open draw

Alex de Minaur is embracing the pressure and expectations after copping a devilish draw for the Australian Open in Melbourne.

De Minaur will launch his Open campaign against big-hitting Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, with former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas lurking as potentially the great home hope’s first big threat.

Seeded in the top eight at a grand slam for the first time, tennis’s ‘Speed Demon’ will need to hit top gear quickly.

While now ranked a lowly 82nd in the world, van de Zandschulp ousted four-time major champ Carlos Alcaraz from last year’s US Open and has been as high as No.22 before being hindered by injuries.

If he can get past van de Zandschulp, the eighth-seeded de Minaur will play either a qualifier or Argentine Federico Coria in round two.

De Minaur’s first projected seeded opponent is Argentina’s world No.31 Francisco Cerundolo in the third round, with 2023 runner-up Tsitsipas possibly awaiting in the last 16.

Should the 25-year-old make the Open quarter-finals for a first time, after falling in round four on his past three visits, he is likely to strike world No.1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner, his Italian nemesis who has won all nine previous encounters.

De Minaur last season became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 20 years to reach three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals, raising hopes he can finally break the near-half century home title drought in the Melbourne Park men’s singles.

“I genuinely can’t wait to get out there and play in front of my home crowd,” de Minaur told fans at the ASICS Tennis Summit on Thursday.

“I’ve become a better version of myself and there’s always a lot more expectations when you get out there for the first time of the year.

“But more than anything I’m just excited to play in front of you guys.

“I know they’ve got my back from the very first point to the last and, jeez, I’m excited to get started.”

Australia’s 25th seed Alexei Popyrin has drawn Frenchman Corentin Moutet and could face countryman Rinky Hijikata in round two.

World No.27 Jordan Thompson, who is also seeded at a grand slam for the first time, opens against a qualifier.

Playing his first slam since reaching the 2022 US Open quarter-finals, Nick Kyrgios faces British world No.86 Jacob Fearnley, provided he can overcome an abdominal strain that forced his withdrawal from an exhibition match this week in Melbourne.

Thursday’s draw on the steps of Margaret Court Arena wasn’t overly kind to Australia’s women’s hopefuls.

Teenage sensation Emerson Jones, who is fast drawing comparisons with retired superstar Ash Barty, will make her main-draw debut as a wildcard against sixth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

Ironically, Barty this week nominated Rybakina as her pick to take home the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, leaving 16-year-old Jones with a daunting first-round assignment.

Fellow young gun Maya Joint meets American seventh seed Jessica Pegula in her opener.

Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka starts against out-of-form ex-US Open champion Sloane Stephens as she strives to join the all-time greats to claim a title hat-trick in the professional era.

Martina Hingis in 1999 was the last to achieve the feat, following in the footsteps of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Margaret Court.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to bring my best tennis every time I’m out there and hopefully I’ll be able to put my name next to those legends,” Sabalenka said at the draw.

Sinner opens against Chile’s world No.34 Nicolas Jarry, while 10-time Open champion Novak Djokovic will play American wildcard Nishesh Basavarareddy, the world No.133, in the first round in his ongoing quest for an unprecedented 25th grand slam singles crown.