Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson and Nick Kyrgios chatted to the media on Friday at Australian Open 2025 looms nearer.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 10 January 2025 | Sean A’Hearn
With three seeded gamers on the Australian Open for the primary time since 1982, Australian males’s tennis is in a great spot.
Main the cost because the top-seeded Aussie, Alex de Minaur is trying to proceed his regular rise as a participant this fortnight in Melbourne.
“Each time I come right here to the Australian Open, I really feel like I’m a greater model of what I used to be the yr earlier than,” the eighth seed mentioned on Friday’s media day at AO 2025.
“I’ve learnt a lot. I’m taking part in with much more confidence. I’m doing all the correct issues.”
Regardless of all of the stress and the highlight on the 23-year-old, his preparation stays the identical.
“My job is to stroll on court docket and do my finest to win tennis matches, primarily,” he mentioned.
“I nonetheless have the identical prep. I’m very lucky that I’ve an amazing staff round me that we will sort of give attention to our personal little bubble.”
Again on the Australian Open for the primary time since 2022, Nick Kyrgios was buoyant in regards to the depth of the boys’s recreation in Australia.
“I imply, males’s tennis in Australia proper now’s ridiculously robust – we’ve got loads of gamers,” Kyrgios mentioned.
Whereas praising De Minaur – “I genuinely suppose he’s a risk at any Grand Slam and any event he performs” – Kyrgios believes he can also nonetheless compete with the perfect after being out of the sport for the perfect a part of 18 months.
“I at all times have utmost confidence in my capability. If I’m taking part in my type of tennis, my unpredictability, I’ve an opportunity in opposition to anybody,” he mentioned.
“That’s the mindset it’s essential have in opposition to these individuals.”
Seeded for the primary time on the Australian Open, twenty fifth seed Alexei Popyrin is concentrated on getting previous the third spherical, which he has but to do at Melbourne Park.
“We’re making an attempt to get previous that third-round hump,” he mentioned.
“We’re simply making an attempt to make it to the second week for the primary time right here. That’s the principle objective for the yr.”
Off the again of a break-out season in 2024, notably the again finish of the yr the place he received his maiden Masters 1000 title in Canada and beat Novak Djokovic on the US Open, Popyrin credit the Paris Olympics with sparking his current run.
“It simply all type of clicked after the Olympics, ranging from Montreal,” he mentioned.
“It simply sort of clicked, and all the pieces simply felt nice once we had been on the market on the court docket. I sort of knew what I used to be doing.”
Having additionally picked up a seed for the primary time on the Australian Open, twenty seventh seed Jordan Thompson attributes his Grand Slam seeding to an increasing all-court recreation.
“Mentality on the court docket … I’m making an attempt to be extra aggressive,” he mentioned.
“I’m making an attempt to make use of all of the facets of the sport to win factors. Making an attempt to push ahead to the online as a lot as I can. Obtained to make use of my pace and volleys to my benefit.”
Combining each doubles and singles to nice success in 2024, Thompson believes taking part in doubles has improved his singles recreation.
“In singles, it simply looks like I’ve acquired an ocean to hit into, particularly on returns,” he mentioned.
With 14 native males set to compete in the principle draw, it’s an thrilling time to be an Aussie tennis fan.
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