Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin primed for Aus Open success: Dylan Alcott
Dylan Alcott has backed top-ranked Aussies Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin to “go deep” in their home grand slam – but he says one particular player looms as their biggest threat.
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Seven-time Australian Open champion Dylan Alcott has backed Alex de Minaur to make the final of his home grand slam this month, labelling him “a weapon”.
The former world No.1 said the nation’s second-highest-ranked player, Alexei Popyrin, also had the game to “go deep” in the tournament – but named reigning champion Jannik Sinner as the Aussies’ biggest threat.
World no.25 Popyrin challenged Sinner in the first charity match of AO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun, this week but fell short 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). And de Minaur showed his form against fellow top-10 player Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night.
De Minaur defeated Alcaraz 7-5, 4-6, 10-5 in 2 hours and 4 minutes.
The match went to a third set tie-break.
“It’s great to be back here playing on Rod Laver, I’m going to try my best, hopefully play some good tennis and put on a good show,” de Minaur said.
“I’ve got my running shoes on, I’m ready.”
Alcott said: “(De Minaur) is in the top eight, he’s 100 per cent fit after a couple of injuries last year. He said himself, he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt.
“(And Popyrin) has got all the game – huge service, massive forehand, people behind him. He’s already won a Masters title (in Montreal last August), that’s pretty much a grand slam. So hopefully a grand slam is next.
“Having an Aussie male in the final of the AO, the first one since Rusty (Lleyton Hewitt in 2005) would be incredible.”
Popyrin was also bullish about compatriot de Minaur’s chances at the AO: “He’s in full form, and he showed that at the United Cup – he played some unbelievable matches,” he said.
The 25-year-old added he was coming into the AO with “no goals”, but a desire to “give all my best and all my energy” for the Australian crowds who turned out to watch him.
“We Aussies get one month a year where we can play in front of our home crowd and we give our all for that,” he said.
Popryin said his recent engagement to longtime love Amy Pederick had put tennis into perspective for him, and the pair intended to start wedding planning when they returned home to Dubai after the AO.
Popyrin will kick off a charity match double-header on Rod Laver Arena on January 10 by playing Alcaraz, followed by Sinner taking on Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Novak Djokovic headlines January 9’s RLA fixture. He has invited past and present Olympic heroes from tennis other sports for the gold medal-themed event, including Andy Murray and Qinwen Zheng.
Another drawcard today will be AO 1 Point Slam – the Australian Open’s newest tournament, which will pit club and community players from across the nation against global tennis stars on Kia Arena, with $60,000 in prize money on the line.
The 16 amateurs chosen to compete include three teenagers, one aged just 15, plus a former ballkid who high-fived Novak Djokovic and a 72-year-old who returned to tennis after a 40-year injury hiatus.
Fans with a January 9 ground pass – which costs $15 for adults and $10 for kids – or a charity match ticket can attend the spectacle.
Alcott praised organisers for extending the tournament with AO Opening Week, saying he was thrilled to see big crowds turn out to support Aussies during qualifying.
“It was like the Australian Open (main draw) had started,” he said.
Australia’s top-ranked woman Kimberly Birrell won through to the third and final round of qualifying on January 8, alongside Melbourne’s Destanee Aiava and Perth’s Maddison Inglis.
Meanwhile, the Victorian government announced an extra 4500 tram services will be rolled out to shuttle people to and from the AO.
The free Route 70a service will run every two to three minutes during busy periods. And for the first time, night buses will leave from Federation Square 40 minutes after play concludes, travelling along popular public transport routes to get people home.
The limited service will run no later than 2am Sundays to Thursdays, with regular night network services operating over the weekend.
Originally published as Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin primed for Aus Open success: Dylan Alcott
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