In-form Alex de Minaur has brushed off a minefield draw to declare himself primed to lead Australia's 15-strong charge at the US Open in New York.
Having secured a precious top-eight seeding courtesy of his 10th career title in Washington and a last-eight run in Cincinnati, de Minaur is guaranteed to avoid a higher-ranked rival until at least the quarter-finals.
The upbeat tennis roadrunner is unfazed about the prospect of potential first-week battles with his nemeses Stefanos Tsitsipas and Hugo Gaston, who both hold dominant records over Australia's world No.8.
