Alex de Minaur wants to rise up the rankings next year, says "everyone would love to see Novak Djokovic play" in Australia
In a recent interaction with with 9 News Melbourne, Alex de Minaur spoke about a host of topics, including his goals for the 2022 season and the mystery surrounding Novak Djokovic's participation at the Australian Open.
2021 was a rather up-and-down season for de Minaur. He won two titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 15, but also suffered plenty of early losses at significant tournaments. He did not progress beyond the third round at any of the Slams.
But the Australian wants to keep working hard and improve his game to rise even higher in the rankings.
"I just want to keep on improving, want to really take it to these top guys and hopefully cement myself as high as I can in the rankings."
Tennis is predominantly an individual sport. The ATP Cup is one of the few events on the tennis calendar that offers an opportunity for players to represent their country. De Minaur said he and his compatriots love playing for their nation, especially at the ATP Cup, which is hosted by Australia.
"I think us Aussie boys really just cherish playing for our country. So it's always so special, we get to do it at home and go out there, have a real crack," de Minaur said.
One of the biggest stories leading up to the 2022 Australian Open is Novak Djokovic's participation in the tournament, which remains uncertain. Reports suggest that the World No. 1 has withdrawn from the ATP Cup. This has raised further questions regarding his presence at the first Grand Slam of the year.
This could be related to the vaccine mandate that's in place in Australia. As per the rules, all athletes are required to be fully vaccinated before entering the country, but they can apply for an exemption if they have a legitimate medical issue. Djokovic has regused thus far to comment on his vaccination status.
De Minaur stated that while everyone wants to see Djokovic defend his title in Melbourne, ultimately the decision rests with the Serb.
"Who knows? I'm pretty sure everyone would love to see him play. It's his decision, we'll see," said the Aussie.
Alex de Minaur thinks the Australian male players should take a leaf out of Ashleigh Barty's book
In the interview, de Minaur highlighted the success of Ashleigh Barty, who has established herself as a dominant force on the women's tour. She won her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year and recently completed 100 consecutive weeks as the World No. 1.
Alex de Minaur says it's time for Australia's men to step up and follow in the lead of World Number 1 Ash Barty.
The Summer of Tennis kicks off this weekend with the ATP Cup, a tournament that could be missing Novak Djokovic. @cstanaway #9News https://t.co/9nujmQUdEg
De Minaur said he wants the Australian men to step up and perform at their highest level and try to match Barty's success.
"Hopefully on the men's side we can come up and lift up to the opportunity and perform."
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