Alex de Minaur aiming to be a ‘disruptor’ to bridge gap on two-time Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner

Alex de Minaur is aiming to be a “disruptor” as he sets out to bridge the gap on two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner and top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz this summer. De Minaur, a six-time grand slam quarter-finalist, has never reached the last four at a major and is desperate for success on home soil next month. European heavyweights Alcaraz and Sinner are among the biggest hurdles that will be standing in the 26-year-old Sydneysider’s way at Melbourne Park. De Minaur - No.7 in the world, his highest end-of-year ranking - is yet to beat Alcaraz or Sinner on tour, nursing 0-5 and 0-13 records against the two big guns respectively. “I’ve played some very close matches over the years with both of them and you feel like you’re getting closer and closer,” de Minaur told reporters in Sydney on Sunday. “You’ve got to work on your game, find new weapons. “For me, it’s finding different ways to hurt these players and trying to be ready to take more risks and be a little bit more of a disruptor. “There’s a couple of things here and there that we’ve tried to work towards in my team throughout this off-season to try to take the next step, and that’s obviously the next goal.” This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the last time a local player lifted the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup and De Minaur is eager to end a drought that dates back to Mark Edmondson’s improbable 1976 triumph. “For myself and any of the Aussies competing, there’s nothing we want to do more than play well at home and play well in front of our fans,” de Minaur said. “It’s no secret that this is a tournament I want to do well at and play my best tennis. “I’ve been improving every year and I’m hoping that I’m going to have a great Aussie summer.” De Minaur will prepare for the Open when he represents Australia in the fourth edition of the United Cup, starting on January 2. Burned out last year, he took a short break to freshen up in the off-season and has bounced back in a positive mental state. “This year I’ve had the most time off that I’ve had probably in the last six-seven years, and I’ve had about a week off,” de Minaur said. “It’s not like we’re talking about a whole month or anything like that. “It’s just ultimately enough time to make you miss the sport again and be ready for a tough pre-season ahead.” De Minaur has retained the majority of his support team for the upcoming season, but has employed a new fitness trainer with a clear goal in mind. “I’m ultimately trying to get bigger and stronger and just keep on improving,” he said. “Over the years I’ve gained a little bit of weight, which has definitely helped me. “There’s no substitute for hard work, so that’s what we’ll be doing.” De Minaur will team up with Maya Joint, Jason Kubler, Maddison Inglis, Storm Hunter and John-Patrick Smith at the United Cup. Joint, 19, is Australia’s top-ranked female and looms as a star on the rise after rocketing to No.32 in the world. “She’s a great person, she’s playing some incredible tennis and I’m super excited to share the court with her,” de Minaur said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and she’s coming off her best year yet, and she’s one to watch out for.”