Australian Open: Alex de Minaur faces tough draw as tournament gets underway
Alex de Minaur, currently the world No.10, faces a challenging opening match at the Australian Open, with a difficult draw to navigate in his home grand slam. He is set to play against former semi-finalist Milos Raonic, who is currently ranked outside the top 300 due to recent injuries but secured entry to the main draw using a protected ranking.
Should de Minaur advance, he may have to face world No.5 Andrey Rublev in the fourth round, followed by a potential quarter-final matchup against world No.4 Jannik Sinner, against whom he has struggled in the past. If he manages to overcome Sinner, he could potentially face Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final and final, both of whom he has defeated earlier in 2024.
Fellow Australian players also face challenging opponents in the early rounds, with Thanasi Kokkinakis and Rinky Hijikata facing tough matchups, and other Australian players pitted against seeded opponents in the first round. The Australian women’s singles players also have a mix of fates, with some facing unseeded opponents while others have more difficult matchups.