It was the opening round of the 2017 Australian Open in de Minaur’s first main draw at his first major championship in his home country, when the then-17-year-old saved a match point in the fourth set before beating Gerald Melzer in five sets and almost four hours.

As the Australian Open heats up, Australia’s No.1 tennis player Alex de Minaur can’t wait to be back at Melbourne Park for the first grand slam tournament of the year

Alex de Minaur enters this year's Australian Open as a top-8 seed for the first time in his career. After reaching the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open last season, the Aussie will look to go deep at his home tournament.

Alex de Minaur will have his work cut out early at the Australian Open after drawing dangerous Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in round one at Melbourne Park.