Fans all around the world have been awaiting the Alex de Minaur vs Milos Raonic clash in the very first round of the Australian Open 2024. The current top 10 player, de Minaur will take on the erstwhile ATP top-10 player Raonic in the clear East vs West battle of hard court supremacy. The local favorite’s hot streak of form will be a hurdle too big for the Canadian on the comeback trail.
Raonic returned to the court in June 2023 after about a two-year hiatus. While he hasn’t exactly hit the ground running, he earned a couple of wins over much higher-ranked opponents. Bar a solitary Davis Cup fixture in November, he last played in the 2023 US Open, going out in the first round.
De Minaur, meanwhile, had a great 2023 season and carried over the momentum into 2024. He was in impeccable touch in the 2024 United Cup, defeating elite names like Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. He also bagged a win against Carlos Alcaraz in a charity match in the AO Opening Week.
When it comes to the Alex de Minaur vs Milos Raonic head-to-head, the Australian youngster leads 1-0, having defeated Raonic in the fourth round of the 2018 Brisbane International competition. The new World No.10 will likely face no issues in extending his purple patch since he is also familiar with the conditions of his home country. Whereas Raonic severely lacks match practice, having played only two fixtures since August 2023. With age also catching up to him, he is nowhere close to his best self.
At 33, Raonic would mostly be no match for de Minaur’s high-energy gameplay. While the former World No.3 could pose some problems with his booming serves, expect the Aussie to deal with it effectively, given his wonderful form. The SportsRush picks the rising Aussie star to win the clash to win in straight sets.
The Alex de Minaur vs Milos Raonic clash will take place on Monday, January 15, no earlier than 7:00 p.m. local time (3:00 a.m. ET). ESPN and Tennis Channel will stream the match in the USA, whereas The Sports Network (TSN and RDS) will telecast it in Canada. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s, with moderate humidity and winds. Weather reports show the possibility of some rain, but the match should not face any problems as the Rod Laver Arena features a retractable roof.
Alex de Minaur vs Milos Raonic: Blossoming youngster taking on the old guard
The 2021 Australian Open was the last Grand Slam event Milos Raonic played before the Wimbledon and US Open last year. Reaching the final of the 2016 Wimbledon is his best finish in a Majors. He also finished runner-up four times in Masters tournaments. Currently ranked World No.319, he has accumulated $20,509,904 in prize money courtesy of a few good years (2014-2017). The Milos Raonic net worth is an estimated $30 million at present (Celebrity Net Worth).
Alex de Minaur, on the other hand, had the best season of his career in 2023. He bagged the Mexican Open, his seventh ATP title but first 500-level trophy. He made it to the final of the Canadian Open, his best finish in a Masters event.
The 24-year-old became the talk of the town with his incredible start to the 2024 season. His white-hot form has led to some even backing him to win the 2024 Australian Open title. That would greatly boost his career prize money winnings of $11,576,789. As well as the Alex de Minaur net worth, which is an estimated net worth of $3 million.
The winner of the Alex de Minaur vs Milos Raonic clash will take on Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the second round. Sebastian Korda or Andrey Rublev could be potential fourth round opponents.
