De Minaur Cruises Through as Australian Open 2026 Begins with Home Hopes Rising
Alex de Minaur stepped onto Rod Laver Arena with expectation heavy in the air and within less than two hours, he delivered exactly what the home crowd wanted to see. Calm. Controlled. And convincing. Australia’s top men’s seed opened his Australian Open 2026 campaign with a routine straight-sets win, moving smoothly into the second round and sending an early message that he is ready for another deep run in Melbourne.
This was not meant to be the opponent he prepared for. A late withdrawal reshaped the draw and Mackenzie McDonald arrived as a lucky loser. But de Minaur made sure there was no sense of disruption. From the opening games, his movement was sharp, his returns relentless and his intent clear. He broke early, set the tone and never allowed the match to drift into danger.
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What stood out was not flash or force, but efficiency. De Minaur conserved energy, controlled the rallies and gave his opponent very little room to breathe. At this stage of a grand slam, that matters. Early rounds can be physical and chaotic. This one was neither. It was professional tennis executed with precision.
This tournament carries extra weight for de Minaur. He arrives in Melbourne with the highest seeding ever held by an Australian man at his home slam in nearly two decades. That brings belief, but also pressure. History has not yet been kind to him beyond the quarter-final stage of majors and Melbourne has been both a comfort zone and a barrier. He has been consistent here, reliable and respected, but the next step remains unfinished business.
One area still under the microscope is his serve. It has improved, but it remains a work in progress. On a warm Melbourne afternoon, the quicker conditions offered some assistance and de Minaur took advantage. He did not dominate with aces, but he served well enough to protect his games and let his greatest strengths take over. Speed. Defence. And one of the best returns in the sport.
The reward is a second-round meeting with Hamad Medjedovic, a player with power and unpredictability. It will be a different test. More firepower. More risk. And less margin for error. For de Minaur, the challenge will be to absorb that pace and turn defence into pressure, something he has built his career on.
For now, Australia’s leading hope is through, untroubled and unhurt, exactly where he wants to be. The Australian Open is underway, the home crowd is engaged and the bigger questions are still to come. Stay with us as Melbourne Park continues to unfold and as the road ahead for Alex de Minaur begins to take shape.
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