"Was feeling a bit burnt mentally": Alex de Minaur refreshed and ready to be 'menace on the clay' at Roland Garros

Alex de Minaur reached the Quarter-Finals last year at the French Open and has shown again at times this clay court swing why in his view he can be a menace on the clay.

But De Minaur has also been swift in wanting to not play too much after becoming burnt out mentally and went home for a period after losing in Rome to refresh. He said that it helped him in his pursuit of Roland Garros glory.

It will be a tricky one too. Jannik Sinner likely awaits Australia's main hope in the Quarter-Finals. But for a player who barely won a match at the French Open before, it is a huge lift that he is able to get to the position now where he feels confident to take on the best.

"In previous years, I hadn't won more than two matches here. It was a tournament that gave me so much confidence and self-belief," he said to Stan Sport Daily.

"A big turning point in my career. I really started to feel like I could be a menace on the clay and I could enjoy playing on this surface, which I wasn't sure if I was ever going to feel that way.

"I definitely have grown a lot of confidence and feel happy with the way I'm playing. I feel like regardless of who is in front of me that I can hurt them and be a menace on any given day just like it's any other surface."

"I think something quite important for me was to take a week off competing. I felt like I had played a lot of matches and was feeling a bit burnt mentally."

"It was important for me to have a nice week at home where I could get some good training in and come to Roland Garros fresh, full of energy and ready to win a lot of matches, and hopefully go deep in the tournament. I'm feeling great."

He will begin his campaign already on Sunday when he faces Laslo Djere in the first round. He defeated Djere on all three occasions previously. He could face a third round meeting with Jakub Mensik then Last 16 against Jack Draper.