There is not a scrap of hesitation when Alex de Minaur singles out his greatest Australian Open memory – a match point-saving debut as a wiry and wide-eyed 17-year-old against Gerald Melzer.
Eight years on and now the spearhead of Australian tennis ranks, De Minaur still holds his prime-time debut beneath the bright floodlights of Rod Laver Arena against Rafael Nadal in 2019 as a close second.
While that one fell his more experienced rival’s way, it served as a reminder how much he needed to close the gap if he was to realise his top-10 ambitions.
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On Tuesday, Australia’s first top-eight seed at a major since Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon in 2006 brings those hopes back to Rod Laver Arena under lights for his opening round against Botic Van de Zandschulp.
“The debut. That's always the first kind of moment that you step out on court, playing on Show Court 3, my first-ever Slam against Gerald Melzer, and somehow finding a way to win that match in five sets, that was a pretty epic feeling that I'll never forget,” De Minaur said.
“Then if I had to say something else, probably, look, I was able to play Rafa on RLA. That was pretty cool. I've played Novak on RLA. That wasn't so much fun, sadly (smiling).
“If not, it's probably the first time playing prime time on RLA, because that's something as a kid you watch way too often, and you always want to be a part of those types of matches.
“Making it in the tournament for starters, but then to be playing in that prime-time slot, that's pretty special.”
De Minaur’s dreams of breaking his fourth-round hoodoo at Melbourne Park received a boost on Monday when Stefanos Tsitsipas – a player he has beaten just once in 12 attempts – fell at the first hurdle to American Alex Michelsen.
Still the 25-year-old was not ready to cast an eye any further than his first-round opponent, the dangerous Dutchman who contemplated retirement following last year’s Roland Garros only to spring the biggest Grand Slam upset of the season over Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open second round.
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De Minaur defeated the world No.84 in a tooth-and-nail tussle in Australia’s victory over the Netherlands en route to the Davis Cup final in 2022.
His United Cup teammate Olivia Gadecki makes her RLA debut on Wednesday night against former world No.9 Veronika Kudermetova.
The 22-year-old burst through for her maiden tour final in Guadalajara, Mexico in September when she defeated the likes of former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens en route. She has never faced the now 75th-ranked Kudermetova, older sister of recent Brisbane finalist Polina Kudermetova.
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Having grown up on the Gold Coast, the former junior prospect was a frequent hitting partner of Ash Barty when back in Queensland, during the peak of her compatriot’s powers.
“Ash was an incredible player,” Gadecki said. “We've got a lot to strive towards. I wouldn't say it's any pressure. She's always there for us Aussie girls. She always takes her time to talk to us.
“If anything, we've got really good footsteps to follow, which is very exciting. We have a lot of top women players right now [and] if we can do something with that, that would be great.”
Sitting down with Australia’s new No.1 WTA singles player 👋
Olivia Gadecki is the latest Aussie success story of 2024 🎧 https://t.co/Q6r3CarVU1 pic.twitter.com/rNhxzk0Owd— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) September 23, 2024
Three times Daniil Medvedev has lifted the silver salver as a beaten finalist on the final Sunday at Melbourne Park.
Twice he has suffered the disappointment of having the title snatched from his reach from two sets to love up.
Last year, his more than 24 hours on court and an inspired Jannik Sinner combined to bring his tilt to an end in the decider.
On Wednesday, the fifth seed returns to the site of that defeat where he meets unheralded Asian wildcard play-off winner Kasidit Samrej for the first time.
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The US Open 2021 champion, who enjoyed an extended off-season break for the birth of his second child with wife Daria, was sure to welcome a first hit-out against a Grand Slam debutant ranked No.418 in the world.
In the opening match at RLA, last year’s US Open semifinalist Emma Navarro opens her second Australian Open against fellow 23-year-old American Peyton Stearns, a player whom she owns a 4-1 ledger against at all levels.
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Navarro made steady progress last year following her maiden title in Hobart, beating Coco Gauff at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows to end the year as the WTA’s Most Improved Player winner.
Elsewhere, former junior world No.1 Emerson Jones makes her Grand Slam debut against Kazakh sixth seed and Australian Open 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina, while Next Gen ATP Finals champion, 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca, also debuts against ninth seed Andrey Rublev.