Australian Open: The Aussie players to get excited about, including Nick Kyrgios, Alex de Minaur, Daria Gavrilova

Updated January 13, 2018 09:29:34

The past few years have felt like Australian viewers have really got their hopes up for local success at the Australian Open, only to be let down with regularity.

Nobody's promising an Australian champion this year, but there are four local players worth getting seriously pumped up for ahead of first serve at Melbourne Park.

Alex de Minaur

Photo: Alex de Minaur has enjoyed an excellent summer so far, and will have attracted a few new fans in the process. (AAP: Darren England)

Australia's star of the summer so far, Alex de Minaur packs a punch in spite of his smaller frame — at 180 centimetres he's no shorty, but he certainly won't be powering home the blistering serves of his two-metre-tall competitors.

But that disadvantage has counted for nothing in the lead-up to the Australian Open as de Minaur has defied rank and reputation to defeat a string of higher-profile opponents of late.

Reaching the semi-finals in Brisbane and the final of the Sydney International, de Minaur has conquered the likes of Milos Raonich, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco to build up a serious head of steam.

Unfortunately, from an Aussie perspective, his first task in Melbourne will be beating world number 20 Tomas Berdych — a tough task for any established player.

His summer form is enough to see him get a high-profile court placing against Berdych, and the eyes of the nation will be keen to find out what kind of burgeoning young talent we have on our hands.

Ashleigh Barty

Photo: Ashleigh Barty will hope to build on an excellent 2017 at this year's first grand slam. (AP: John Minchillo)

Ashleigh Barty is developing a knack of making deep runs into tournaments of late. Now she'll be wondering if she can carry that over to the major that counts.

Her best-ever Australian Open finish is reaching the third round in 2017, but that year saw her enjoy a string of successful ventures in WTA events, reaching the finals at Kuala Lumpur, Birmingham and Wuhan, China.

It was at the first of those three that saw her pick up her maiden WTA title, but her Birmingham and Wuhan runs were even more impressive in significantly stronger fields.

Her scalps included the likes of Johanna Konta, Karolina Pliskova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Garbine Muguruza, having jumped back into tennis with a splash following her brief code-switch to cricket.

Making up for lost time following her early Brisbane International exit, Barty showed she's one of the potential bolters at the year's first major with a spot in the Sydney International final, beating fellow Aussie Daria Gavrilova in the semis.

Barty will be eyeing off the third round again in Melbourne and possibly further, seeded 18th and drawn against Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka, before a likely second-round clash against Italy's Camila Giorgi.

Nick Kyrgios

Photo: Which Nick Kyrgios will we see at Melbourne Park this year? (AAP: Darren England.)

Little more can be said about Nick Kyrgios than what's been expressed already in the reams of articles and reports on the controversial Australian's exploits.

The most talented player in the country by some distance, Kyrgios — who triumphed at this year's Brisbane International — looms as the most likely to break Australia's title drought at the Australian Open, but with a shedload of caveats attached.

Namely, which Kyrgios will show up? Heralded by a host of top-10 players and former greats as having the ingredients to one day be the world's best player, Kyrgios's biggest obstacle in Melbourne, as always, appears to be himself.

Again without a coach, Kyrgios is just as likely to enthral crowds with electric play and showmanship as he is to lose the plot and rage against some perceived injustice.

Seeded 17th and drawn against Brazil's Rogerio Dutra Silva first up, there will be plenty hoping for a long run deep into the competition.

But such have been his previous histrionics, there may also be a significant number of those hoping for failure.

Daria Gavrilova

Photo: A crowd favourite, Daria Gavrilova could face world number 36 Elise Mertens in the second round. (AP: Catherine Avalone)

A crowd favourite at last year's event, you can expect Daria Gavrilova to get the crowd back on their feet for the 2018's first grand slam event.

A demon on the hard courts, Gavrilova clinched her first WTA title last year with a win in Cincinnati, which saw her get past number one seed Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the final, before overcoming second seed Dominika Cibulkova in three sets.

It followed a losing final appearance against compatriot Samantha Stosur in Strasbourg, before Dasha reached a third final for the year in October, losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets in Hong Kong.

Progress to the Sydney International semi-finals capped off decent tournament build-up for Gavrilova, ultimately beaten in three sets by compatriot Barty.

Handed an opening round clash against a qualifier, Gavrilova should at least get to the second round, where she's likely to face Belgium's world number 36 Elise Mertens.

Topics: tennis, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 13, 2018 08:14:42