Alex de Minaur will spearhead Australia’s Olympic tennis staff in Paris subsequent month, a staff additionally comprising Ajla Tomljanovic, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, Ellen Perez, Daria Saville, Matt Ebden and John Friends.
Paris, France, 26 June 2024 | Dan Imhoffbreakout run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals earlier this month, a feat which drew excessive reward from his fourth-round sufferer Daniil Medvedev, De Minaur was desirous to return to the location in July with a newfound confidence unlocked on clay.
Whereas expectations had been saved in test, there was no uncertainty as to his ambitions for Paris.
“It’s tremendous vital, tremendous particular and naturally you need to do your greatest since you’re not simply enjoying for your self, you’re enjoying on your staff and your nation, in order that’s what makes it really, really particular,” De Minaur mentioned.
“I’d do something that I may to attempt to get a medal for Australia. Clearly it’s going to be tremendous powerful. It’s not going to be simple by any means however I’m going to do my greatest and depart my coronary heart out (there).
“The following six weeks appears like prepping, plenty of tennis being performed, plenty of deal with that, attempting to get to the Olympics in the absolute best type and hopefully I’ve the perfect prep to exit … and play a few of my greatest tennis.”
Tomljanovic, who fell to eventual bronze medallist Elina Svitolina within the second spherical in Tokyo three years in the past, was named in her second Australian Olympic staff.
The 31-year-old missed three of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments final 12 months as a result of a knee harm, however has rediscovered type on the eve of Wimbledon in simply her fifth occasion since February.
Matt Ebden has been chosen to make his Olympic debut in Paris, after a career-best begin to the 12 months wherein he collected a second Grand Slam doubles trophy at AO 2024 with Rohan Bopanna and ascended to world No.1.
The 36-year-old will staff with Friends within the males’s doubles; Friends returns for his third Olympic marketing campaign after profitable combined doubles bronze for Australia alongside Ash Barty at Tokyo 2020.
De Minaur and Popyrin will staff up as one other Australian pairing within the males’s doubles occasion.
Three years in the past, Perez mixed with Sam Stosur to succeed in the ladies’s doubles quarterfinals in Tokyo, the place they fell to Swiss pair Belinda Bencic and Viktorija Golubic.
The doubles world No.9 returns to the staff in 2024 and can accomplice Saville within the ladies’s doubles.
Saville will probably be enjoying on the Olympics for the primary time since Rio 2016, the place she fell to Serena Williams within the first spherical of the singles and teamed with Stosur in doubles.
Popyrin, O’Connell and Hijikata – all making their Olympic debut for Australia – will be a part of De Minaur within the 64-player males’s singles draw.
Combined doubles entries will probably be submitted on 24 July.
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