AS IT HAPPENED: Demon through as Raonic retires after tight 90-minute tussle

Alex de Minaur‘s Australian Open begins as the nation’s great white hope, but he faces a tough first-round challenge against Canadian former world No.3 Milos Raonic. Join The Roar for game-by-game updates and rolling coverage from 7pm (AEDT).

Watch every Australian Open match ad-free, live & on demand with centre court in 4K Ultra-HD on the home of Grand Slam tennis, Stan Sport.

After defeating three top-10 players in Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz at the United Cup, plus Carlos Alcaraz in a pre-tournament charity match, de Minaur heads into the first Grand Slam of 2024 in career-best form – and with a new ranking high of No.10 in the world.

But the big-serving Raonic, who looked in good form at last week’s Kooyong Classic and who is a five-time quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park, including a run to the semis in 2016, is an ultra-tough opponent for the Aussie running machine first up.

Can the Demon continue his scintillating form and set up a deep Australian Open run? Or will the Canadian play party pooper in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd?

Match information

Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Start: 7pm (AEDT, approx.)
Broadcast: Channel 9
Live stream: 9Now, Stan Sport
Betting: De Minaur $1.09, Raonic $7.00 – odds via PlayUp

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Stuart Thomas

Expert

Stuart Thomas is a sports writer and educator who made the jump from Roar Guru to Expert in 2017. An ex-trainee professional golfer, his sporting passions are broad with particular interests in football, AFL and rugby league. His love of sport is only matched by his passion for gardening and self-sustainability.