Laurence Dollimore
A BUDDING expat tennis player aged just 17 has been given a wildcard into the Australian Open.
Alex De Minaur, who was born in Australia but grew up in Alicante, was granted entry into the grand slam after stunning world No. 46 Benoit Paire in Sydney in January.
Just weeks before at the Brisbane International, the up-and-coming star dazzled fans through qualifying and managed to defeat the 2015 Sydney runner-up Mikhail Kukushkin.
It comes after a stellar 2016 on the junior tour which saw him become runner up at the junior Wimbledon before being named male junior athlete of the year at the prestigious Newcombe Medal Awards.
He is already impressing the Aussie tennis greats, and was invited to train with the Davis Cup squad in September.
De Minaur moved to Alicante when he was five, and took his first steps as a tennis player at the Club Atletico Montemar.
it is De MIÑAUR, NOT De Minaur.
And his father is Uruguayo and his mother Spanish.
He is more Spanish tha Aussie.