Why Newk is worried about Demon at the Australian Open

The legendary John Newcombe says Alex de Minaur has never been under such an intense spotlight. ‘He’s got to be careful,’ says Newk.

John Newcombe is concerned Alex De Minaur is in “new territory” going into the Australian Open. Picture: Michael Klein

John Newcombe is worried about Alex de Minaur. Optimistic, but worried.

“This is new territory for Alex,” Newcombe says before de Minaur’s first-round Australian Open match against Canadian Milos Raonic on Monday night.

“He’s never received this much attention. Never been under this sort of spotlight. It’s pretty heady stuff and he’s never had to deal with it before. He’s in terrific form but I just think he’s got to be careful.”

Why? Because he’s getting nearly as much publicity as Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. “You have your face all over the newspapers and TV every day and night,” Newcombe says. “That can be dangerous. You start feeling a pressure to live up to everyone’s expectations. It’s the first time he’s been in this position and I just worry about all this attention he’s suddenly getting.”

The legendary Newcombe hopes as feverishly as anyone for the 24-year-old to go deep in the draw at Melbourne Park. “But we can’t be looking too far ahead,” he says. “He’s going particularly well, he’s in the top 10 for the first time and he’s coming off some big wins. But all this focus on him, I’m wary of how it can affect you. It takes some getting used to. Everyone wants your photo. Everyone wants to talk to you, interview you – it can be hard to escape all that and get your mind on the job. Alex can have a great tournament but it’s the old adage of one match at a time. He has a reasonably hard match first-up. One at a time, that’s his go.”

A steak a day – that’s how de Minaur’s towering opponent has returned to his fighting weight. Raonic restricted himself to eating nothing but one meal a day; a good old slab of steak, until he shed 20kg and was fit enough to professional tennis following a three-year hiatus. He’ll attempt to devour de Minaur in primetime at Melbourne Park.

Alex De Minaur is going into the Australian Open in form. Picture: Michael Klein

It’s an intriguing contest. The in-form, in-your-face de Minaur against the loping, laid-back, powerful Raonic. The Canadian is a former World No. 3 and Wimbledon finalist. He’s slimmed down again but fitness remains his concern. Raonic doesn’t have many good matches in him at the Open – but he could lift for a big one. This one.

De Minaur had Court 8 packed 10-deep for his training session on Sunday afternoon. He had a decent hitting partner: Lleyton Hewitt. The ex-Wimbledon champion still hits a smooth and clean ball. De Minaur was getting the rock star treatment – can we get a photo? Can you sign our giant fluffy souvenir tennis ball? – but he was pretty nonchalant about it all. He looks in good nick. Could do some damage. If he can keep his head amid the new-found hype.

“I’m a person that’s not easily distracted,” de Minaur says. “There’s been a lot of focus but at the same time I’m still putting my head down and I’m still getting all the work that I need to.