United Cup: Alex de Minaur talks pressure of carrying Australia’s tennis hopes

Ahead of another big summer of tennis with all eyes on him, Alex de Minaur says he’s happy to carry the hopes of Australia, starting with an assault on the United Cup.

Pressure? What pressure?

Carrying the weight of the nation is child’s play for Australia’s top ranked tennis player Alex de Minaur, who says he just can’t wait to get back on court and play in front of his home fans.

For a lot of tennis professionals, the extra burden of expectation from home supporters can be suffocating but not for de Minaur, who is already the talk of the summer after getting engaged to his British sweetheart Katie Boulter.

Newly engaged Alex de Minaur with Katie Boulter. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Back in Sydney for the United Cup, de Minaur said he’s fine with all the attention and relishing the prospect of having the crowds on his side.

“I never have associated playing in Australia as pressure,” he said.

“I’ve always associated it as excitement and something that I’m looking forward to every single year.

“We don’t get to do it as often as we would love to so whenever we’re back here, the season is starting, I know we’re playing in front of our home crowd.

“And that’s always exciting, what I get up for, and I think it always brings the best tennis in me.”

The first Aussie man since Lleyton Hewitt to break into the top 10, de Minaur launched his charge up the world rankings last year when he knocked over Novak Djokovic on his way to helping Australia reach the semi finals of the United Cup team event.

Alex de Minaur in action at last year’s United Cup.

De Minaur went on to make the fourth round at Melbourne Park then the quarterfinals at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open but credits playing at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena for kick starting his best year on the circuit.

“It’s no secret it’s one of my favourite courts to play on. It probably has to do with me growing up, training here at Homebush … watching the matches, the players playing on that court, and wishing to be able to compete on that court one day,” he said.

“I’ve had some great memories here. It’s been some very good matches where I’ve gotten up for and I played some of my best tennis. It’s just playing at home, so that’s why it’s so special.”

De Minaur is once again playing the United Cup under the leadership of Hewitt, his one time idol and now mentor.

No one has given more of them themselves to the Australian team cause than Hewitt, a former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion, but with little to show for his efforts.

Alex de Minaur (R) shares a laugh with teammate Olivia Gadecki (C) ahead of the start of the United Cup.

He’s taken the Aussie men to two Davis Cup finals and the mixed team to a United Cup semi and is hopeful he can break the drought this year with the Australians drawn at home in Sydney.

“We came bloody close in a lot of them,” Hewitt said. “The biggest thing is we keep knocking on the door.

“You’ve got to do all the right preparation and give yourself the best chance of going out there and putting your hand up to try and win these kinds of events.

“I’ve been awfully proud of the teams I’ve captained the last nine or ten years now right across the board, and we have come bloody close, but it’s not an easy thing to do.

“You look at some of these teams that end up winning these team competitions and they’ve got some pretty awesome players, some generational greats or legends of the game.

“We’ll do all the preparation that we need and hopefully we can go out there and execute but we’re certainly not taking anything for granted.”

Originally published as United Cup: Alex de Minaur talks pressure of carrying Australia’s tennis hopes