Alex de Minaur will spearhead Australia’s Olympic tennis team in Paris next month, a team also comprising Ajla Tomljanovic, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, Ellen Perez, Daria Saville, Matt Ebden and John Peers.
Paris, France, 26 June 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Alex de Minaur’s dream to don the green and gold at an Olympic Games will finally be realised next month.
The 25-year-old has been announced as part of the Australian Olympic tennis team alongside Ajla Tomljanovic, Matt Ebden, Ellen Perez, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell, Rinky Hijikata, Daria Saville, and John Peers for Paris.
De Minaur was forced to miss his debut in Tokyo after testing positive to Covid on the eve of the Games.
“It feels great, it’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be an Olympian. I’m super excited to be able to represent the green and gold in Paris,” De Minaur said.
“It’s going to be extra special, that’s for sure, to play my first Olympic Games. Obviously last time around I got a little bit unlucky to not be able to be in Tokyo and I’ve had my eye set on Paris and I’m super excited to be a part of the team.”
Following a breakout run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals earlier this month, a feat which drew high praise from his fourth-round victim Daniil Medvedev, De Minaur was eager to return to the site in July with a newfound confidence unlocked on clay.
While expectations were kept in check, there was no uncertainty as to his ambitions for Paris.
“It’s super important, super special and of course you want to do your best because you’re not just playing for yourself, you’re playing for your team and your country, so that’s what makes it truly, truly special,” De Minaur said.
“I would do anything that I could to try to get a medal for Australia. Obviously it’s going to be super tough. It’s not going to be easy by any means but I’m going to do my best and leave my heart out (there).
“The next six weeks looks like prepping, a lot of tennis being played, a lot of focus on that, trying to get to the Olympics in the best possible form and hopefully I have the ideal prep to go out … and play some of my best tennis.”
Tomljanovic, who fell to eventual bronze medallist Elina Svitolina in the second round in Tokyo three years ago, was named in her second Australian Olympic team.
The 31-year-old missed three of the four Grand Slam tournaments last year due to a knee injury, but has rediscovered form on the eve of Wimbledon in just her fifth event since February.
Matt Ebden has been selected to make his Olympic debut in Paris, after a career-best start to the year in which he collected a second Grand Slam doubles trophy at AO 2024 with Rohan Bopanna and ascended to world No.1.
The 36-year-old will team with Peers in the men’s doubles; Peers returns for his third Olympic campaign after winning mixed doubles bronze for Australia alongside Ash Barty at Tokyo 2020.
De Minaur and Popyrin will team up as another Australian pairing in the men’s doubles event.
Three years ago, Perez combined with Sam Stosur to reach the women’s doubles quarterfinals in Tokyo, where they fell to Swiss pair Belinda Bencic and Viktorija Golubic.
The doubles world No.9 returns to the team in 2024 and will partner Saville in the women’s doubles.
Saville will be playing at the Olympics for the first time since Rio 2016, where she fell to Serena Williams in the first round of the singles and teamed with Stosur in doubles.
Popyrin, O’Connell and Hijikata – all making their Olympic debut for Australia – will join De Minaur in the 64-player men’s singles draw.
Mixed doubles entries will be submitted on 24 July.
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