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With an equal tour-best two titles on hard courts this season, in-form Australian Alex de Minaur has arrived feeling good about his US Open prospects.
In form and injury-free at last, Alex de Minaur can't wait to bring his high-octane game to one of the biggest stages in tennis.
De Minaur is Australia's first man in action at the 2019 US Open in New York, where the 21-year-old plans to feed off the equally energetic fans that he suspects will embrace his full-on approach to every point.
"I'm pumped," de Minaur said ahead of his opener against Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Monday (Tuesday 3am AEST).
"I love the atmosphere here. I feel like the crowd wants someone who will leave it all out there and, if you can get the crowd on your side, it's almost like playing at home."
Along with world No.1 Novak Djokovic and countryman Nick Kyrgios, de Minaur has landed an equal tour-best two titles on hard courts this year, most recently last month in Atlanta.
"Obviously I like playing on this surface and doing well in Atlanta has given me a lot of confidence coming in so really looking forward to going out here," he said.
"Been having some good training, I feel like the body's good. Mentally I'm in the right headspace so really looking forward to coming out tomorrow and hopefully playing some of my best tennis.
"I've suffered with a couple of niggles here and there. Not ideal but it's part of the sport. It's about how you deal with these sort of setbacks and come back stronger than ever."
Herbert is the Frenchman who Kyrgios beat in a stirring comeback effort last year after receiving a controversial mid-match pep talk from colourful chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani.
"I know what to expect. It's going to be an incredibly tough match. He's a quality opponent and a very tricky one as well," de Minaur said of the world No.45 who also boasts a rare grand slam set of doubles crowns.
"I know this is going to be a tough match but this is what you play for."
Victory over Herbert would earn de Minaur a second-round shot at either American wildcard Christopher Eubanks or Chilean Christian Garin.
