De Minaur to spearhead Aussie Olympic tennis team on clay

The Roland Garros clay will hold no fears for Alex de Minaur when he makes a swift Paris return as Australia’s Olympic tennis spearhead.

A French Open quarterfinalist this month, the world number nine was on Wednesday named among a nine-strong Australian contingent to compete in Paris from July 27.

De Minaur will play both singles and doubles, his Olympic debut three years in the making after the 25-year-old was ruled out on the eve of the Tokyo Games when he contracted COVID-19.

Current doubles world number one Matt Ebden (doubles), Alexei Popyrin (singles), Chris O’Connell (singles) and Rinky Hijikata (singles) will also debut, while fit-again Ajla Tomljanovic (singles), Ellen Perez (doubles) and Daria Saville (doubles) will play at their second Olympics.

Doubles specialist John Peers will partner Ebden in his third Olympics, the pair hoping to replicate Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde’s run to gold in 1996 that remains the country’s only Games tennis title.

Triple Olympian Lleyton Hewitt will captain the men’s team, while Australia’s only five-time tennis Olympian Sam Stosur will lead the women’s team in Paris.

Jordan Thompson, Australia’s clear number two in singles at number 39 in the world, chose to skip the Games and instead defend rankings points on the ATP Tour.

Max Purcell, who played singles for Australia at the Tokyo Games, could have taken a doubles spot but has also opted out as he tries to improve his singles ranking of number 94.

The French Open venue will be just the second Olympic event on clay and the first since Barcelona’s 1992 Games.

“I have always wanted to be an Olympian,” de Minaur said ahead of his Wimbledon campaign from Monday.

“Last time round, I got a little bit unlucky to not be able to play in Tokyo, but I’ve had my eyes set on Paris and I am super excited to now be officially part of this team.

“I am really looking forward to just immersing myself in what it means to be an Olympian.