As Alex de Minaur challenged Carlos Alcaraz with his dash and dare at Queen’s last Sunday, he presented as Australia’s leading contender for the 2023 Wimbledon crown. Nick Kyrgios is the headline grabber but the injury doubt surrounding him, combined with the strong form of De Minaur, suggests the latter is the Australian who will be the one to watch at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Although the 24-year-old fell to Alcaraz in straight sets in the Queen’s final, the skill set he deployed to test the new world No 1 should hold De Minaur in good stead for the fortnight ahead. In an era where serving-and-volleying is less frequent, the former Wimbledon boys’ finalist is a grass courter for the new age and has won 21 of the 30 matches he has played on the surface since the pandemic began.
