Australian Open 2024: Alex de Minaur advances to second round after Milos Raonic retires

Alex de Minaur is onto the second round in Melbourne, and says a change in style is behind his surge up the rankings and revealed what’s different about him this year on the biggest stages.

Alex de Minaur says a retooled game and earned Rod Laver Arena pedigree has given him the confidence he needs to make a deep run at this year’s Australian Open and match it with the world’s best.

The Aussie No.1 was gifted an early first round reprieve on Monday night when dangerous Canadian Milos Raonic retired mid-way through the third set with a hip injury.

De Minaur held sway at 6-7 (6) 6-3 2-0 when Raonic walked to the net to shake his hand, signaling an end to an enthralling battle which the Aussie labelled “a lottery”.

“There’s no real nerves for playing this sort of match, playing in Australia or playing on RLA,” De Minaur said.

“I think the nerves come from playing an opponent like Milos because it’s so unpredictable. It’s so tough to play him.

“You’ve got no rhythm and ultimately it feels like a lottery. You get to a tiebreak and you feel like every single point is so important and that’s what creates probably the nerves and the tightness.

“I do believe I lost that first set due to that – I got tight in the big moments.”

The Aussie advanced after Raonic’s injury. Picture: David Caird

Facing down a former Wimbledon finalist in the first round was hardly the dream draw for de Minaur and the world No.10 conceded he was at times forced to play a guessing game against the Raonic serve which has long been regarded as one of the best of all time.

But the world No.10 showed incredible character to problem solve his way back into the match, overcoming the frustrations of the first set and finding inroads to the Raonic service game.

De Minaur was long labelled a counter puncher and that tag came with it imposed limits that for years caused people to put a ceiling on the 24-year-old’s game.

Those limits were laid bare 12 months ago when he was soundly beaten in straight sets by Novak Djokovic on Rod Laver Arena.

But the Aussie ace has since rattled off a string of top 10 triumphs – including Djokovic earlier this month in Perth – and his defeat of Raonic, albeit with an injury asterisk, only adds to the mounting evidence that this Demon is different.

Alex de Minaur says his tennins has changed and that has made him better. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“There’s obviously been a lot of tweaks here and there, that’s no secret that’s been the same my whole career,” De Minaur said.

“But I do believe it’s been a big mental kind of side of things, where I’ve told myself that I’ve got to show all the variety I’ve got; all the different shots I can create, the gamestyles I can play and, ultimately, be aggressive.

“I knew in the past that maybe being a defender/counterpuncher wasn’t going to beat the top guys in the world and I had to improve in that aspect and develop a more aggressive playing style.

“I think that is what has been getting me the wins against the top players and gives me a lot of confidence knowing I can do this on the bigger stages and take it to the top players in the world.

“I think I said last year it felt pretty special to play on RLA (Rod Laver Arena) on my own terms, saying that I’m the one being scheduled on RLA and not because I’m playing Rafa or someone like that.

“Honestly to come into the Australian Open and get put in the primetime slot on RLA is a pretty cool experience. It shows that all the hard work I’ve been putting in (is paying off).”

De Minaur will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the second round.

The world No.41 has already claimed one Aussie scalp this week when he dispatched Adam Walton in straight sets on Sunday.

Arnaldi was part of the Italian Davis Cup team that defeated Australia in the final last November.