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It is HOT in Melbourne
It is a glorious summer’s day in Melbourne, which means peak temperatures in the early 30s and stifling conditions for elite sport. The atmospheric conditions are intensified for the players by the heat reflecting off the blue courts and the slim chance the cooling southerly breeze penetrates the bowl of Rod Laver Arena.
The tournament’s heat policy is unlikely to kick in today but it will definitely be in operation on Saturday when the mercury could hit 40C, in advance of a stifling second week of competition.
Jack Snape has taken a closer look at the leading man of Australian tennis.
De Minaur’s time on tour has been marked by his consistency to perform at a high level, including the last four years in and around the world’s top 10. He has returned to his career-high rank of No 6 this month. But the summit has so far eluded him.
He has reached the quarter-finals at a grand slam six times – including at Melbourne Park last year – without being able to take that next step. The defeat at home last year against Jannik Sinner, when the Italian swamped De Minaur 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in just 108 minutes, was the defending champion’s 10th victory in a row against the Australian.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Alex de Minaur v Mackenzie McDonald in the first round of the men’s singles at the Australian Open. The first serve on Rod Laver Arena will not be before 1:30pm local time.
This is a massive tournament for the sixth-seeded De Minaur, the man bidding to become the first Australian finalist at Melbourne Park in the men’s singles since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005, and the first local winner since Mark Edmondson triumphed on the grass of Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in 1976.
De Minaur is almost 27, and with over 10 years as a professional should be at the peak of his powers. He is a career-best sixth on the ATP Rankings and a fixture inside the top 10 for most of the past two years. Consistent and willing, does he have the weapons to elevate his game to compete with the Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz duopoly at his sport’s summit?
If De Minaur is to become Australian sport’s golden boy he will have to do it the hard way. He was initially drawn against Italian Davis Cup winner Matteo Berrettini in round one, with 29th seed Frances Tiafoe a potential third-round opponent, while the 10th seed Alexander Bublik looms in round four entering the tournament in career-best form. The inevitable clash with either Sinner or Alcaraz follows at the quarter-final stage, with the Spaniard in the same quarter of the bracket.
But on the eve of the tournament Berrettini announced he had suffered a recurrence of the abdomen problems that had plagued his 2025 season and would withdraw, allowing Mackenzie McDonald to enter the draw. The 30-year-old American was beaten in qualifying but now receives a last-minute call-up as a “lucky loser”.
More from Melbourne Park shortly, but if you want to get in touch while the blog is live you can contact me on email at jonathan.howcroft.casual@guardian.co.uk.
English (US) ·