Every Aussie at the 2024 Australian Open: Alex de Minaur bows out after 'dramatic' five setter
Every Aussie at the 2024 Open
Alex de Minaur is the last man standing after Storm Hunter was defeated in her third-round match against former world No.2 player Barbora Krejcikova.
Hunter became the first Australian women in the single's draw in 39 years to make it out of qualifying to the third round.
On the whole, it's been a successful campaign for the host nation so far with serval Aussies pushing some of the best players in the world.
Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Chris O'Connell and Max Purcell fell just short of a third-round berth after some marathon matches.
Speaking after his five-set loss to 11th seed Casper Ruud, Purcell explained that a rising tide in the Australian camp has lifted all boats.
"I think we're all just kind of finally where we want to be in our careers - top 100, playing in the big tournaments. Now we have a little bit more freedom with schedule, with coaches, with physios and all that," he said.
"Everyone is then pushing to be ranked higher than the other one. Everyone is playing good ball. That's kind of, you know, part of the reason why I think I've done well is because all these other guys have started to do well. Even Rinky (Hijikata) lost to Struffy (Lennard Struff) in the first round, and then we've got Kubs (Jason Kunbler) as well.
"We've had a few heartbreaks this week against some good players, but man, that's tennis. Everyone gets unlucky. Everyone gets luck somewhere else throughout the season. That's just how it goes."
Here you can read up on each one, who they play next and their results throughout the tournament.
Alex de Minaur: 10th seed, world No.10
Alex De Minaur comes into this year's Australian Open as the 10th seed and 10th in the ATP world rankings.
After some high-profile scalps in the past fortnight including Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, and Taylor Fritz, there's a real feeling the 'Demon' could go all the way to the finals at this year's home grand slam.
It was a devastating end for the Demon, who fell to world No.5 Andrey Rublev in the fourth round.
Rublev was blown away by de Minaur, noting how many "dramatic" matches the pair have faced off in.
"It's always tough to play against Alex, we've played a couple of times and all of them were dramatic," Rublev told Nine post match.
Round one result: De Minaur def Milos Raonic (CAN) 6-7 (6), 6-3, 2-0 (ret)
Round two result: De Minaur def Matteo Arnald (ITA) 6-3, 6-0, 6-3
Round three result: De Minaur def Flavio Cobolli (ITA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Round four result: De Minaur def by Andrey Rublev 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 0-6.
Storm Hunter: Qualifier, world No.179
Australian qualifier Storm Hunter "couldn't be happier" after winning her first-round match at the Australian Open.
The world No.179 secured her place in the second round after taking down Italian former world No.5 Sara Errani 6-4, 6-3 on Kia Arena.
"Honestly that was perfect, I couldn't be happier," Hunter said after her win.
Round one result: Hunter beat Sara Errani (ITA) 6-4, 6-3
Round two result: Hunter beat Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Round three result: Hunter defeated by Barbora Krejcikova [9] 6-4, 5-7, 3-6
Ajla Tomljanovic: Unseeded, world No.275
Alja Tomljanovic hasn't played much tennis in the year gone by and that's seen her slip to 275th in the WTA world rankings.
Nevertheless, quarter-final runs at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022 will give her confidence that she can go deep.
Round one result: Tomljanovic def Petra Martic (CRO), 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4
Round two result: Tomljanovic def by [11] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 0-6, 6-3, 4-6
Thanasi Kokkinakis: Unseeded, world No.68
In the absence of Nick Kyrgios and before Alex De Minaur's rise, Thanasi Kokkinakis was something of Australia's next great hope.
Kokkinakis enjoyed a run to the third round at Roland-Garros in 2023 but bowing out of the Adelaide International to start 2024 hasn't got him making good headlines.
Nevertheless, Kokkinakis recently hit a career-high 65th in the ATP world rankings.
Kokkinakis won the Australian Open men's doubles championship alongside Nick Kyrgios in 2022.
Round one result: Kokkinakis beat Sebastian Ofner (AUT), 7-6(1), 2-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 7-6(7).
Round two result: Kokkinakis defeated by Grigor Dimitrov [13] (BUL) 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6
Max Purcell: Unseeded, world No.45
After winning the men's doubles championship at Wimbledon with Matthew Ebden in 2022, Max Purcell went all-in on grand slam singles in 2023.
Purcell has hovered around the back end of the top 50 in recent months, making it to the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters last August.
Round one result: Purcell def Mate Valkusz (Q) (HUN) 7-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Round two opponent: Purcell def by Casper Ruud [11] (NOR) 3-6, 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3, 6(7)-7
Alexei Popyrin: Unseeded, world No.43
Alexei Popyrin captured the imagination of Australians across the country after a barnstorming run to the third round of last year's grand slam at Melbourne Park.
And he will be a household name if he can do the unthinkable and beat Novak Djokovic in 2024.
"Saying it's just another match, just playing the world No.1, it's hard for me to believe that that is the case," a reporter told Popyrin after he beat compatriot Marc Polmans in round one.
"I admire what he's done. He probably is the greatest of all time," Popyrin explained.
"But for me, I need to have that confidence going in and the belief going in that I can win the match and that he is just the world No.1, and he is just another player for me on the opposite side of the net."
Round one result: Popyrin beat Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-3, 7-6, 6-2
Round two result: Popyrin def by Novak Djokovic [1] (SER) 3-6, 6-4, 6(4)-7, 3-6.
Jordan Thompson: Unseeded, world No.47
Jordan Thompson's run to the semi-final at this year's Brisbane International will have him riding a wave of confidence going into the Australian Open.
Thompson had to beat fourth seed Ugo Humbert of France and had the edge over Rafael Nadal before injury took the Spaniard out.
No stranger to an upset victory, the 29-year-old defeated then-world No.3 Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the third round of the Indian Wells Masters in 2023.
Round one result: Beat Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Round two result: Thompson def by Stefanos Tsitsipas [7] (GRE) 6-4, 6(6)-7, 2-6, 6(4)-7
Christopher O'Connell: Unseeded, world No.71
Christopher O'Connell advanced to the third round at the Australian Open in 2022.
Earlier this month, O'Connell was knocked out of the Brisbane International by Alexei Popyrin in the round of 32.
The young Sydneysider then had an impressive run at the Adelaide International before falling to Seb Korda.
He advanced to the second round of the 2024 Open with a five-set thriller.
Round one result: O'Connell beat Cristian Garin (CHI) 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
Round two result: O'Connell def by Ben Shelton [16] (USA) 4-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6(5)-7
Olivia Gadecki: Wildcard, world No.121
Appearing in her first Australian Open in 2023, Olivia Gadecki was knocked out in the second round by Marta Kostyuk.
She also qualified for the US Open later in the year but did not progress past the first round.
Gadecki made the semi finals in the Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles competition alongside Marc Polmans.
Round one result: Gadecki lost to Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3, 6-1
