“You don’t want a walkover into the final of a Grand Slam”: De Minaur takes dig at Kyrgios after reaching round four at Australian Open

Alex De Minaur will face Djokovic who has been struggling with a hamstring injury

The World No. 24 has quietly advanced through the Australian Open draw and is the only local player still alive in the singles draws, counting men and women. In the fourth round he will face the Serbian Novak Djokovic, who despite suffering a leg injury, has had no problem advancing to the fourth round.

Read also

Becker believes Djokovic trying to shorten points amid injury: "Novak wouldn't behave like that if he had nothing"

After the Aussie's victory against the Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, the 22nd seed was asked about Nole's physical problems, and he hinted at his compatriot Nick Kyrgios: “These are the matches you want to be playing. You don't want a walkover into the final of a Grand Slam."

"You want to be playing the best in the world. That's what I've got. I'm going to probably have the best in the world in front of me, and I'm ready for the battle. I want to take it to them and show them what I'm made of, you know, in the biggest of stages and just test myself out there and really take it to them."

Read also

Kyrgios mocks Australian Open bottom quarter, receives blacklash: “Nice little ATP 250 going on.”

De Minaur could have referred to the situation that Kyrgios experienced at Wimbledon last year, who after advancing to the semifinal had to face Rafael Nadal, who eventually withdrew from the tournament due to injury, and allowed Kyrgios to enter the final through of a “walk over”. Regarding the fourth-round match that he will play against the Serbian, the world number 24 downplayed the possible physical problems of the 9-time Australian Open winner:

"I'm not going to read into too much of that injury. Ultimately, he's one of the best players in the world, and I'm just going to have to take it to him and not shy away from the occasion," Alex de Minaur said. "I'm going to make sure to make it as tough as I can and just bring the recent experience I've had on court and how I've been feeling."

"Just ultimately, it's not shying away from the opportunity and the occasion. I mean, these are the matches I want. It's going to be exciting. I will get fired up, get the crowd behind me, and I'll definitely have a good time.”