Alex de Minaur had not even finished winning his third-round match when the contrasts with Nick Kyrgios were drawn. By the time a photo of his adorable golden retriever, Enzo, was being beamed around Rod Laver Arena during his post-match interview, the dichotomy had written itself.
Here was Australia’s quiet achiever, a man of pure intent and earnest endeavour. Kyrgios, that brash entertainer who craves the headlines, had cast a high-profile shadow out of which other locals could only hope to step.
