How Alex de Minaur helped rewrite Australian tennis history at Indian Wells without hitting a ball
· Yahoo Sports
Australian tennis is looking stronger than ever in 2026, led by top-10 star Alex de Minaur.
The country’s players made a real impact at the Australian Open, with de Minaur reaching the quarter-finals once again.
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De Minaur lost to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets as Australian tennis enjoyed a number of breakout performances in Melbourne.
That trend has continued, with both De Minaur and the nation already making headlines at Indian Wells this year.
Australian tennis hits new heights at Indian Wells
Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty ImagesFor the first time ever, eight Australian players have advanced to the second round of Indian Wells.
On the men’s side, Adam Walton and Rinky Hijikata booked their spots by getting past Quentin Halys and Francesco Maestrelli. De Minaur, meanwhile, moved straight into the second round thanks to a bye.
He’s set for a tough opener against Sebastian Korda, who knocked off Stefanos Tsitsipas in his first-round match.
Five Australian women have also made it through to the second round, with four of them earning victories in their opening matches.
Storm Hunter beat Magdalena Fręch; Tomljanovic toppled Elena-Gabriela Ruse; Birrell found a way past Oksana Selekhmeteva, and Gibson defeated Ann Li.
Maya Joint was the only seeded Aussie woman and will open her campaign against Jacqueline Cristian in round two.
De Minaur handed challenging Indian Wells draw
Alex de Minaur faces a difficult path through Indian Wells, even with his seeded entry giving him a first-round bye.
His opener comes against an in-form Sebastian Korda, who recently took down Stefanos Tsitsipas, and the winner of that match will go on to play either Cameron Norrie or Mackenzie McDonald.
Norrie is likely to come through that one, setting up a potential endurance contest with de Minaur. Should he advance further, the Australian would probably face Alexander Bublik in the fourth round.
In a 96-player field, it’s a tough early draw for de Minaur, with no easy matchups until the later stages.
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