3 minute read
Alex de Minaur is playing the best grass-court tennis of his life but is steeling himself for a veritable Wimbledon "war" against soaring star Sebastian Korda.
Alex de Minaur may look more like an angel than his moniker 'Demon' but he has the heart of a gladiator and is ready to go to war with his Wimbledon first-round adversary Sebastian Korda.
In what looks one of the stand-out matches in the opening round, de Minaur, on a high after winning his first grass-court title at Eastbourne on Saturday, has had absolutely no time to congratulate himself as he tackles one of the game's brightest young stars on Monday.
The 20-year-old Korda has power, poise and pedigree - his dad Petr was the Australian Open champ and his lad has already won the junior version - all accommodated in a 1.96m, 77kg frame.
What's more, the American young gun is improving at an alarmingly swift rate, having started the year at No.119 in the world rankings and already up to 50 - winning a maiden clay-court title and impressing of late on the grass.
"Definitely not ideal," de Minaur mused about this treacherous draw.
Yet he comforts himself with the thought that Korda won't exactly be jumping for joy either about drawing a newly-minted top-15 player who's been one of the grass swing's very best performers.
"So it works both ways," said 22-year-old Sydneysider de Minaur.
"Sebby's a hell of a player, he's been showing that he can play on every surface and especially lately on grass, he's been putting together some very high quality wins and it's going to be an incredibly tough match.
"But I'm looking forward to the challenge. It's going to be tough; we're both going to go out there, do our best, have a battle, have a little bit of a war out there - and we'll see who comes out victorious."
De Minaur admits he discovered a new spring in his step as soon as he stepped on the grass after a largely fruitless clay-court slog, as he commuted from his Alicante base in Spain.
And, frankly, he's been a revelation.
Yes, Matteo Berrettini's 225km/h serves were enough to derail him in the Queen's Club semi-finals but the way he handled Lorenzo Sonego's bombs in Saturday's draining three-set final and his calmness in the tiebreaker denouement suggested his game had gone up another notch.
Sonego could only shrug that de Minaur's returning was so sharp and his movement so blisteringly fast around the court that he could go deep at Wimbledon.
"It's the part of the season I absolutely love," said de Minaur, one of five Australians in action on opening Monday.
"It suits my game nicely and it gives me a big boost when I step on the green stuff. It's when I can get the most out of myself,"
He makes no bones about how "special" these Championships will be after the 2020 event was cancelled during a year that, personally, he wanted to forget.
"After everything's that happened, to be able to go back to the All England Club is something unique," said de Minaur.
"I can't wait to play back in that incredible venue."
AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION ON DAY ONE AT WIMBLEDON ON MONDAY (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):
Men's singles
15-Alex de Minaur v Sebastian Korda (USA)
Marc Polmans (qualifier) v Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)
John Millman v 8-Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
Chris O'Connell (qualifier) v 13-Gael Monfils (FRA)
Women's singles
Samantha Stosur v Shelby Rogers (USA)
