For Alex de Minaur, the Washington Open has already become a tough opening-round test. As he transitions from grass to hard courts, he will begin his campaign against Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, ahead of the clash, he openly addressed the extreme conditions in DC, warning players about the challenges awaiting them at Rock Creek Park.

“This is one of the few weeks of the year when the hot and humid conditions are so harsh that I sweat a lot on my feet and need several pairs of shoes per game,” de Minaur shared before his opening match at Citi DC Open. “Last year I used five in the same meeting. We have to try to adapt, and I’ll be ready,” he added.

The Aussie’s comments came after several players complained about the brutal conditions at DC last year.

One of the clearest examples came during the quarterfinal between the Russian Daniil Medvedev and French ATP ace Corentin Moutet. Both players looked exhausted as the match entered the deciding third set.

In fact, Medvedev’s face turned multiple shades of red in the intense heat. The former top seed repeatedly used an ice-laden towel during the changeovers to cool down.

The Frenchman also found it difficult to continue as he needed a medical timeout in the middle of the deciding set.

“I played here for the first time two years ago. I knew how it was,” Moutet said after the match. “It’s very, very humid. So it’s tough, especially when you’re coming from the grass, where there’s not too many rallies.”

British No. 1 Emma Raducanu also shared her experience as heat indexes across the region climbed into the triple digits for the first time last year.

“It just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven, and it just stayed open, and your head is in there. That’s how it feels,” Raducanu added.

Medvedev later reflected on the conditions in DC after he reached the Canadian capital for the Masters 1000 event. “It was hard for everyone in training, but it’s easier here than it was in Washington, so it’s a little nicer,” he added.

Now, with the Aussie already taking precautions before his match has even started, he knows another tough challenge awaits.

Alex de Minaur shares thoughts before defending his DC Open title

After a difficult SW19 campaign that left him dejected and frustrated, the Australian arrives at the ATP 500 event ready to defend his title. 

The Sydney native suffered a painful fourth-round defeat at the All England Club against the French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli. For de Minaur, who was hoping to make bigger strides on the ATP Tour, the defeat was heartbreaking.

“Like, I feel like a couple of years ago, I was definitely closer to that,” the Aussie said. “Now it just feels like I’m getting a little bit further away from those dreams.”

However, the 27-year-old looks far more relaxed heading into Washington. “I’m definitely feeling a lot better. I’m feeling in a good place. I feel like everything is kind of clicking.”

Yet, the challenge ahead will not be easy for the Australian star. The former world No. 5 trails Greek wild card Tsitsipas 1-12 in their H2H, and Tsitsipas also won their previous hard-court meeting this year in Miami. 

If De Minaur advances, he could eventually face former Miami Open winner Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals and the American Taylor Fritz in the semifinals.

Now, after a memorable couple of days following his marriage, the 11-time ATP singles title winner returns to the court with renewed belief. All eyes will be on whether he can dig deep, overcome another tough draw, and successfully defend his ATP 500 title.