Australia’s Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has never had more confidence in the country’s male tennis players.
For the first time since 1982, there are 10 Australians in the top 100 of the ATP Tour men’s singles tennis rankings.
Australia will also have two seeded players at the next US Open – Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin.
Speaking ahead of the US Open, Hewitt confirmed it is an “unknown” how de Minaur will perform as he prepares to take to the court for the first time in a month.
“I know he’s doing everything he can to get as close to 100% as possible at the US Open,” Hewitt told Tennis Australia.
Alex de Minaur in action.
“He was desperate to play in the Olympics in singles and he missed it. The last four to five weeks have definitely been frustrating.
“He’s a hurry-up guy, he wants everything to happen right now. I think his style of play really suits the US Open.
“Fingers crossed that he gets a good draw and can play alone in the tournament. If he gets through the first few rounds, he will definitely be dangerous.
Meanwhile, for de Minaur’s Olympic doubles partner Popyrin, their newfound confidence should make them a powerful force.
“He was a little bit lacking in confidence going into the Olympics. We changed a few things in his game … and I think we saw some of his best tennis in a long time at the Olympics on clay,” Hewitt said.
“I think the belief that he will face some of the best players at Roland Garros, playing for his country, gave him inner confidence. ,
With his compatriot Jordan Thompson also behind the top seeds, the country is set to have three athletes qualify for a Grand Slam – a feat not seen since Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis and Pat Rafter were seeded at Wimbledon in 2000.
Hewitt said the group is pushing each other to be better and keep moving forward.
“Australian men’s tennis is thriving,” he said.
“Over the last three or four years we’ve tried to get the right people into the Davis Cup teams who have gone out there and led by example and that’s been a big reason (for the revolution in Australian men’s tennis).
“They have been putting in a lot of effort on the ATP Tour all year – they all have career-best rankings as well, which is great because we have Alex de Minaur in the top 10.
“They also had people to go and see the training discipline that some of these top guys have. So everybody says, ‘Well, if they’re doing it, why can’t I go out there and get these results?’
Alex de Minaur and Lleyton Hewitt before the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.
“So they were pushing each other.”
Hewitt also attributed this growth to the Australian tennis culture.
“We’ve been working really hard to get the culture right, and I think we’ve really achieved that,” he said.
“There’s a real team atmosphere when they’re on the road, away from Davis Cup games, they come together and show the great camaraderie of being an Australian tennis player. It’s not easy travelling for so many weeks.”
The main draw will begin on Monday, August 26.
Australian sweepstakes in the first round of the US Open
vs. Marcos Giron (USA)
Against Soonwoo Kwon (South Korea)
against Constant Lestienne (FRA)
x Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
v (31) Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
x (11) Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
v (26) Nicolas Jarry (CHI)
You
vs Alexandre Muller (FRA)
v (3) Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
vs. Taro Daniels (JPN)
v (Q) Ena Shibahara (JPN)
against Wang Xinyu (CHN)
v (Q) Ann Lee (USA)
vs. Laura Siegemund (Germany)
v (25) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
v (24) Donna Vekic (CRO)
v (4) Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
v (2) Aryna Sabalenka
