For some teams, the journey to Australia to play at United Cup is a long one. But for Alex de Minaur, Maya Joint, Maddison Inglis, Storm Hunter, Jason Kubler and John-Patrick Smith, who all represent Team Australia, playing on home soil is a familiar and welcome breath of fresh air.
This especially can be said for Australia’s leading player De Minaur, the world No.7 who honed his game playing on courts outside Ken Rosewall Arena.
“Growing up I was at the academy here,” said the Sydneysider. “I grew up here; I was here while the tournament was being played … all I wanted as a kid was to compete on that court.
“It’s basically a pinch-me moment every time I walk out there. I get goosebumps and the crowd support is unbelievable.”
De Minaur is not the only member of the Australia squad who is well acquainted with the venue, as John-Patrick Smith also has ties to the Sydney arena.
“The venue I actually played [at] – like Demon (De Minaur) did – I played juniors here a lot,” said the doubles world No.41. “To be able to represent my country … it’s something I always dreamed about.”
According to team captain, Australian tennis legend and former world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt: “Everyone’s really excited, we’ve got a great team here [and] a really good team culture and camaraderie around the guys.
“Looking forward to going out there and obviously these guys get to play on home soil … against such quality teams and players is something pretty special that they don’t get to do every week.”
The country’s top woman, world No.32 Maya Joint, was absent during the press conference due to illness, yet Hewitt was confident she would make a speedy recovery.
“Hopefully she can bounce back tomorrow,” he said. “Confidence-wise, I don’t think myself or her team are too worried about how she’s hitting the balls and moving or playing at the moment.”
Anticipation is building ahead of tomorrow’s first battle against Team Norway, with De Minaur going up against United Cup veteran Casper Ruud.
“We got a bloody tough match tomorrow night,” said Hewitt. “They’re led by their male player Casper Rudd and it’s going to be a hell of a match between him and Alex, which I’m really looking forward to seeing.”
For De Minaur, his determination to take Team Australia onwards to the finals is accompanied by genuine excitement to be playing back at his old stomping ground.
“Playing here in Sydney, I don’t get to do that often enough,” he said. “It’s always a special feeling coming back and playing here.”