Nick Kyrgios says Alex de Minaur can win Australian Open

Alex de Minaur is adamant the pressure and intensive schedule of being Australia’s top grand slam hope is not wearing him down.

Alex de Minaur’s Australian teammates have backed him to win a maiden grand slam title as the world No. 8 says he won’t let the fever pitch excitement affect his performance.

Australia’s previous top men’s grand slam hope, Nick Kyrgios, said de Minaur had already shown an incredible capacity to handle the pressure of being the nation’s No. 1 male player.

Kyrgios said de Minaur had “improved little things in his game” which had brought him to the brink of his first major title and in a good position to strike at Melbourne Park next week.

de Minaur, who will face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round, has spoken publicly almost every day since Australia’s United Cup campaign began more than a fortnight ago, but said the extra media commitments were not draining him.

Alex de Minaur prepares for his first-round clash with Botic van de Zandschulp at Melbourne Park on Friday. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

“Look, it’s no secret that especially this being my home slam, there’s always going to be a few more eyeballs and more commitments that you have to do as a tennis player,” he said on Friday.

“It’s always about finding that balance, that healthy balance of doing what you need to do, but also making sure you’re getting the work you need to do on the court, off the court, and also making sure you come for the first round and you’re ready to go – you’re not stressed, you’re not tired, just feeling 100 per cent.

“For me, I guess there was the bulk of work done at the start of the week. Now as we’re getting closer to kind of match day, we’re tapering off. I’ll be ready to go.”

Kyrgios recalled a post-Davis Cup tie practice session with a 17-year-old de Minaur when he was invited by Lleyton Hewitt to be the “orange boy” for the squad in 2016.

“I remember (when) he was our orange boy at Davis Cup – we’d won the tie, he needed to have some extra practice,” he said.

A teenage de Minaur had early experience with Australia’s Davis Cup squad after being called up as an ‘orange boy’ by captain Lleyton Hewitt (left). Picture: Michael Klein

“I was like, ‘I’ll go out there and teach this little kid a lesson’ … I brought a beer out there, I remember.

“It was a really close set. I was in my prime, he was only 17 – I was like, ‘this guy is going to be really solid’.”

The polarising Kyrgios said de Minaur had managed to deal with the external pressure in a manner he was never able to.

“To see how well he’s taken it upon himself to be our No. 1 player for the last three or four years … to deal with everything, the pressure of being our No. 1 player. I was there – I didn’t always deal with it the best,” Kyrgios said.

“He’s been a ridiculously good role model. I genuinely think he’s a threat at any grand slam and any tournament he plays.

“He’s got a chance to win a slam for sure … he’s improved little things in his game where I thought he needed to improve, he’s done that.”