Alex de Minaur concedes he’s entering the great unknown after arriving physically underdone but mentally tough for his latest US Open title tilt.
De Minaur had hoped to be in peak condition to make another deep run after surging to back-to-back grand slam quarter-finals for the first time in his career before suffering a shattering hip injury at Wimbledon.
Forced to pull out of a scheduled last-eight blockbuster with Novak Djokovic at The All-England Club, the Australian No.1 also despairingly withdrew from a second straight Olympic Games singles campaign last month when he’d failed to sufficiently recover.
De Minaur survived two exhibition matches last week in New York, beating another returning player in Denis Shapovalov before falling to Alexander Bublik.
But he admits the pressure, intensity and grind of a major in steamy New York is vastly different to a somewhat hit-and-giggle shortened format.
“Look, I’m getting there. It’s been a long process and it’s not easy coming back,” he told AAP.
“But every day I’m feeling a little bit better and I’m looking forward to seeing how I am able to go out there and perform come match day.”
De Minaur will open his tournament on Tuesday, along with a dozen other Australians, and didn’t exactly have much luck in the draw either.
He’s been pitted against big-serving American Marcos Giron, who hit a career-high No.37 in the rankings this month.
“I’ve played him a couple of times. He’s going to be a tough opponent, especially over best-of-five and first match back so I’m expecting a battle,” de Minaur said.
“I don’t know how I’ll be able to do but I’m looking forward to going out there and competing again.”
If he gets through his opener, de Minaur will face either Frenchman Quentin Halys or Finland’s Otto Virtanen, two qualifiers both ranked well outside the top 100.
The baseline warrior plans to feed off the electricity of the crowd at rowdy Flushing Meadows in the hope of going on another run like he did in Paris and London.
“It’s a great atmosphere to play out here,” de Minaur said.
“The aim of the game is to play on the best courts out here because it’s always a great vibe, a great crowd and you’ve got to win matches to play on the big courts.”
While de Minaur has two more days to prepare, fellow men’s seed Alexei Popyrin and 2022 women’s quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic are among seven Australians in first-round action on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
Popyrin faces South Korean Soonwoo Kwon, with Tomljanovic up against American Ann Li.
Rinky Hijikata, Adam Walton, Priscilla Hon against two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, Kim Birrell and fellow qualifier Maya Joint also play on day one.
AUSSIES IN FIRST-ROUND ACTION ON DAY ONE OF THE US OPEN IN NEW YORK (TUESDAY AEST)
MEN
28-Alexei Popyrin v Soonwoo Kwon (KOR)
Rinky Hijikata v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
Adam Walton v Alexandre Muller (FRA)
WOMEN
Priscilla Hon v 2-Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
Kim Birrell v 24-Donna Vekic (CRO)
Maya Joint v Laura Siegemund (GER)
Alja Tomljanovic v Ann Li (USA)
