“Demon” on a Mission: De Minaur dominates McDonald to chase Hewitt’s hard-court legacy
World No. 6 Alex de Minaur launched his home Grand Slam campaign with a clinical straight-sets victory over Mackenzie McDonald (6-2, 6-2, 6-3).
Alex de Minaur, 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Australia’s top-ranked man Alex de Minaur sent a clear message to the Melbourne Park field on Monday night, dismantling American lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. In front of a raucous home crowd on Rod Laver Arena, the sixth seed displayed the “lightning quick” movement and defensive tenacity that have become his hallmarks, but it was a newfound aggression that truly caught the eye.
Despite a lingering concern over his first-serve percentage, which hovered at a modest 52%, de Minaur struck 32 winners and showed a consistent intent to advance into the court, a tactical evolution designed to build on his quarterfinal finish from 2025.
“Today the conditions felt great”, de Minaur said. “It was a weird match, because there wasn’t really a lot of rhythm. I thought Mackie’s game plan was exactly that, to kind of play very aggressive and not really want to get into too many rallies. So, saying that, I kind of had to find my rhythm a little bit on serve and maybe take a little bit of pace off just to try and make a bit more first serves, because he was having a crack at my second serve.”
The victory was not just a successful start to the 2026 tournament; it was a significant milestone in Australian tennis history. De Minaur has now recorded 41 wins in hard-court Grand Slam men’s Singles matches, moving past modern greats to sit second only to the legendary Lleyton Hewitt (79) for most wins by an Australian in the Open Era.
De Minaur – Medjedovic now
His ability to maintain intensity over two hours of play left McDonald, who entered the draw as a late replacement for the ill Matteo Berrettini, with few answers against the “Demon’s” relentless pressure.
De Minaur, who reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals in 2024 and 2025, appears determined to break his semifinal ceiling this fortnight. “If it was meant to be easy, everyone would do it, so I’m excited for the challenge,” de Minaur remarked earlier in the week regarding his difficult draw. Having navigated his opening test with relative ease, the Australian No. 1 now turns his attention to a second-round clash with rising Serbian star Hamad Medjedovic.
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