{"id":418927,"date":"2026-01-17T10:55:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T10:55:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/418927\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T10:55:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T10:55:09","slug":"what-time-does-alex-de-minaur-play-in-the-first-round-matteo-berrettini-withdraws-due-to-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/418927\/","title":{"rendered":"What time does Alex de Minaur play in the first round?, Matteo Berrettini withdraws due to illness"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is still a tough draw<\/a>, but Alex de Minaur has been handed a boost to his chances of at least progressing to the second round after Matteo Berrettini pulled out of their scheduled match-up.<\/p>\n

Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

Berrettini had been battling an illness ahead of his first-round meeting with de Minaur, having already withdrawn early in his match against Nicolai Budkov Kjaer at the Red Bull Bassline on Friday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The hope was that the Italian would be able to recover in time for Monday\u2019s tournament opener, which is scheduled for 1.30pm AEDT, but unfortunately the illness has forced him out with Mackenzie McDonald announced as the Australian\u2019s new opponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really sorry to have to withdraw from the tournament,\u201d Berrettini said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have always enjoyed being and playing here and feeling your incredible support. Thank you to the tournament for their fantasic organisation and I hope to see all of you again very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berrettini, the former world number six and a Wimbledon finalist, was obviously going to be much stiffer competition but McDonald is not to be counted out having stunned Rafael Nadal at the 2023 Australian Open in the second round.<\/p>\n

Either way, while de Minaur\u2019s path to a breakthrough grand slam semi-final appearance may be easier now, it remains daunting beyond the first round with Frances Tiafoe potentially waiting for the Australian in round three while No.10 Alexander Bublik and No.1 Carlos Alcaraz could then follow.<\/p>\n

De Minaur though is embracing the challenge ahead of this year\u2019s Open.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, if it was meant to be easy, everyone would do it so I\u2019m excited for the challenge,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

WINNERS AND LOSERS: Full analysis from the 2026 Australian Open draw<\/a><\/p>\n

Tough opening round for top Aussies | 03:33<\/p>\n

DJOKOVIC\u2019S CONFIDENT CALL IN BID FOR HISTORY<\/p>\n

Novak Djokovic said Saturday he likes his chances at the Australian Open despite \u201cmissing a bit of juice\u201d in the legs, declaring he can still beat anyone on his day.<\/p>\n

The Serbian great, 38, is targeting a record-extending 11th title in Melbourne and elusive 25th major crown.<\/p>\n

To do so he must get past Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles since Djokovic won his 24th major at the 2023 US Open.<\/p>\n

The former number one made the semis at all four majors last year and still has belief that he can take down the big two.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I know that when I\u2019m healthy, when I\u2019m able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anybody,\u201d he said on the eve of the tournament.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I don\u2019t have that self-belief and confidence in myself I wouldn\u2019t be sitting here and talking to you guys or competing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have the drive and of course I understand that Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a fact, but that doesn\u2019t mean that nobody else has a chance. So I like my chances always in any tournament, particularly here.\u201d <\/p>\n

Should he upset the odds, Djokovic would finally move clear of Australia\u2019s Margaret Court to stand alone with a record number of Slam titles.<\/p>\n

He has been trying to do so for more than two years, but said it was something he did not want to dwell on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I\u2019m possibly achieving. I mean, I hope it comes to that, but 24 is also not a bad number,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had. And also release some of that unnecessary pressure.\u201d <\/p>\n

RELATED: Inside tennis\u2019 rocky relationship with its \u2018unwanted child\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Novak Djokovic. (Photo by Lintao Zhang\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

The world number four has not played a tour match since he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the Athens final in early November.<\/p>\n

He pulled out of the Adelaide International this month with what he called \u201ca little setback\u201d, and acknowledged he was not the physical specimen he used to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m missing a little bit of juice in my legs, to be honest, to be able to compete with these guys at the later stages of a Grand Slam,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m definitely giving my best as I have in 2025… I\u2019m still trying to be in the mix.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would love to have a chance to fight with one of those, or maybe both, of these guys here. Let\u2019s see if that happens.\u201d <\/p>\n

He begins his campaign in Melbourne on Monday against 71st-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez.<\/p>\n

Birrell Suffers straight sets defeat | 01:26<\/p>\n

AUSSIE IN A \u2018BETTER PLACE\u2019 AFTER HITTING \u2018BREAKING POINT\u2019<\/p>\n

Russia-born Daria Kasatkina said Saturday she could \u201cfinally breathe\u201d and called it a \u201cspecial chapter\u201d as she readies for her first Australian Open as a home player.<\/p>\n

The gay 28-year-old changed allegiance to Australia last March having criticised Moscow\u2019s attitude towards LGBTQ people and described the war in Ukraine as a \u201cnightmare\u201d.<\/p>\n

The former world number eight, now ranked 48, launches her campaign in Melbourne against Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic and is expected to get rapturous support from a bumper home crowd.<\/p>\n

Kasatkina has already had a taste of what\u2019s to come after being given a warm reception at season-opening events in Adelaide and Brisbane, admitting it nearly brought her to tears.<\/p>\n

With the expectation comes pressure, but Kasatkina — who reached the fourth round last year — is determined to enjoy the occasion as a fully-fledged Australian.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a good pressure, so I would choose this one compared to what I have been through in the past couple of years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cNow basically I\u2019m going to play a home Slam and that\u2019s a really special chapter in my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will try to enjoy it as much as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n

TALKING POINTS: The backroom drama that could change Aus Open forever<\/a><\/p>\n

Daria Kasatkina of Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Kasatkina ended her 2025 season early, having said in October that \u201cmentally and emotionally I am at breaking point\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said on Saturday that she felt mentally in a \u201cbetter place\u201d now. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe last season was very, very tough. You know, I was trying to get out of this hole basically,\u201d she said, adding that she was looking forward to focusing more on her tennis and could not wait to wear the Australian colours.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely this transition last year, it wasn\u2019t easy,\u201d she said of changing the country she represents.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a lot of support, but also I got a lot of critics, you know, from the other side.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been difficult, but this is kind of what I have been dealing with for a couple of years.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cFinally I can just breathe. I can live and just do my job and not be worried about the things which are not in my control.\u201d The Australian Open begins on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Demon ‘excited’ for tough AO draw | 01:35<\/p>\n

VENUS TO MAKE HISTORY AT MELBOURNE PARK<\/p>\n

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams said Saturday she was \u201cup for the challenge\u201d as she gets set to become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open at age 45.<\/p>\n

The United States great is back at Melbourne Park for the first time in five years and said she was grateful to have the chance to prove she still has what it takes.<\/p>\n

The former world number one, now ranked 576, faces 68th-ranked Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the first round on Sunday after being handed a wildcard.<\/p>\n

Williams has played only sporadically in recent years and lost in the first round of both of her warm-up tournaments.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m super, super grateful for the opportunity from Tennis Australia. Grateful for the opportunity to play in front of the fans,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have just received so much support in the tournaments leading up, walking around the city and everything. My hope is to play my best.\u201d <\/p>\n

Venus Williams back in action. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n

A five-time Wimbledon champion, Williams was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017 and won the doubles title four times alongside sister Serena.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the greatest place on Earth to play,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have had amazing memories here. I love challenges, so I\u2019m up for the challenge.\u201d <\/p>\n

Asked by reporters what it meant to trump Japan\u2019s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015, Williams said: \u201cI hadn\u2019t thought about it till it came out in the press, so yay, yay for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s do this.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It is still a tough draw, but Alex de Minaur has been handed a boost to his chances…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":418928,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[565],"tags":[64,63,85,747],"class_list":["post-418927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tennis","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-sports","tag-tennis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=418927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/418928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}