US Open: Alex de Minaur is the only Australian seeded in first major of COVID era

A year after a breakthrough at the US Open, Alex de Minaur returns to Flushing Meadows as the only seeded Australian.

3 min read

8:20AMAugust 28, 2020.

Updated 1:53PMAugust 28, 2020

Alex de Minaur is in a section of the US Open draw dominated by veteran players

A year after a significant breakthrough at the US Open, Alex de Minaur returns to Flushing Meadows as the only seeded Australian in the first major held since tennis resumed in August.

In the absence of Ash Barty and Nick Kyrgios, the 21-year-old is the highest-profile local among the 10 Australians competing in a most unusual major beginning next Tuesday.

Aside from superstars Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, along with a handful of other stars including Andy Murray and Milos Raonic, the majority of players are living inside a bubble at two hotels on Long Island.

De Minaur, the 21st seed, and compatriots including John Millman are likely to be sharing breakfast — while respecting social distance guidelines — with the rivals they line up against on court.

The circumstances of this grand slam are different but the city a familiar and favourite one for both de Minaur and Millman, given their best grand slam performances have come at Flushing Meadows.

De Minaur, who missed the Australian Open due to a tear in a stomach muscle, made the second week of a major for the first time last September in New York.

He defeated former finalist Kei Nishikori before falling to Grigor Dimitrov in a tight fourth-round match.

The draw for this year’s US Open puts him in a section dominated by men with a decade or more experience, but the right-hander boasts the talent and desire to make another deep run in New York.

De Minaur, who this weekend is in a doubles semi-final in a Cincinnati event relocated to New York, faces Andrej Martin, a 95th-ranked Slovakian whose best form has come at Challenger level on clay, in the opening round.

Ivo Karlovic, who famously upset Lleyton Hewitt in the opening round of his Wimbledon defence in 2003 and is the oldest active player at 41, is a possible second-round opponent.

But that is only if the serving genius, who is almost twice de Minaur’s age and well over a head taller, can defeat classy Frenchman Richard Gasquet, a three-time major semi-finalist.

With defending champion Rafael Nadal instead focusing on the rescheduled French Open and Roger Federer injured, Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem is the second seed and highest-ranked man in de Minaur’s quarter.

Millman has played Federer, Djokovic and Nadal in his last three matches in New York on Arthur Ashe Stadium for a win and two respectable losses. The heat and humidity suit the super-fit Brisbane resident.

His clash with 22nd seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, who is under investigation for domestic abuse in Georgia, will almost certainly not draw a stadium court nor prime-time slot.

The Georgian leads their head-to-head 2-1, but Millman withdrew injured from their most recent outing in Paris two years ago.

The Queenslander told The Australian prior to heading to America that he had no great expectations given the lack of competition leading up to the tournament because of the lay-off.

“I am going to try to play to as high as possible a standard as I can because that is what I pride myself on,” he said.

“Maybe by the French Open I will be playing some pretty good tennis. It may not happen all at once, but I really want to give myself the best opportunity to finish 2020 as well as possible.”

But the 2018 US Open quarterfinalist, who fell narrowly shy of beating Federer again in an epic in Melbourne in January, played well this week in Cincinnati.

After a tough opening win over Adrian Mannarino, he was edged in a deciding tie-breaker by top American John Isner in the second round.

A US Open compromised by the absence of several players due to COVID-19 presents as a golden chance for some younger Australians to excel in the land of opportunity.

Maddison Inglis and Lizzie Cabrera, who have been preparing in Brisbane, and Western Australian Astra Sharma have all earned direct entry into a tournament that shelved qualifying given the coronavirus challenge.

Ajla Tomljanovic is the top-ranked Australian woman, but she faces a testing start against three-time major champion Angelique Kerber.

Both Sharma, who faces Dayana Yastremska, and Inglis, who plays Magda Linnete, have drawn seeds, while Cabrera will clash with Danka Kovinic.

The third-seeded Williams begins her latest quest to draw level with Margaret Court as a 24-time major winner against Kristie Ahn, who grew up not far from Flushing Meadows.

But Williams, now 38, has been beaten in lead-in events in Kentucky and Cincinnati, where she struggled to close out matches as they tightened.

Despite the absence of six of the top 10 ranked women, the field is still laden with quality, including Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.

Kim Clijsters makes her comeback to grand slam tennis against Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 21st seed.

It is an exciting opportunity for Melburnian Marc Polmans and Sydney’s Chris O’Connell, who make their US Open debuts.

Polmans has drawn American Marcos Giron, while O’Connell, who registered with Centrelink during the shutdown, will play Serbian Laslo Djere.

Davis Cup representative Jordan Thompson plays Stefano Travaglia, while James Duckworth, who underwent further surgery during the suspension, plays Salvatore Caruso.

Djokovic, who is unbeaten this year and is into the semi-finals in Cincinnati, faces Damir Dzumhur in his opening round.