Alex de Minaur believes this year’s Australian Open is his best chance yet to triumph at his home grand slam.

The Sydney product is looking right at home in Melbourne as he fine-tunes his preparations ahead of next week’s tournament.

Speaking exclusively to 9News Melbourne, de Minaur said he was embracing the pressure that came with trying to win on Australian soil.

READ MORE: India unleashes hell on Test team over ‘colossal failure’

READ MORE: Roosters land ‘giant’ teenage brothers from rival club

READ MORE: Australian Open rocked as Wimbledon champ pulls out

“I get to play in front of my home crowd, my home fans. I know they’ve got my back no matter what so [I’m] genuinely very excited to get started,” he said.

De Minaur put together a career-best season in 2024 as he ended the year in the top 10 for the first time.

The 25-year-old made three consecutive grand slam quarter-finals, achieved his biggest grand slam win over Daniil Medvedev at Roland-Garros and soared to a career-high singles ranking of world No.6.

With the hip injury that derailed his season well and truly behind him, the world No.8 is fit and ready for another big year.

Watch the 2024 Australian Open live and exclusive on Nine and 9Now.

“It feels amazing — amazing to be physically 100 per cent again,” de Minaur said.

“My legs are feeling the way I want them to be feeling on court again.”

De Minaur suffered the injury late in his fourth-round win over Arthur Fils at Wimbledon in July, forcing him to retire from his quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.

Taking to the court at Melbourne Park for a scheduled practice session on Monday, de Minaur was closely watched by his mentor Lleyton Hewitt.

The Davis Cup captain put the pressure on his protege last week, declaring that de Minaur could lift the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

“It’s amazing to hear the sense of belief he has in me,” de Minaur said.

The nine-time ATP Tour titleholder agreed this year was his best chance to claim a maiden Australian Open crown.

“Every year I’ve felt better than the year before,” de Minaur said.

“Every year that I’ve come into Melbourne, I’ve been a better version of myself.”

After a fourth-round finish at the Australian Open last January — his third straight year with the same result — de Minaur wants more.

In big personal news off the court, de Minaur and his fiancée, British tennis star Katie Boulter, announced their secret engagement in a joint Instagram post two weeks ago.

De Minaur revealed that the couple had been engaged “a while” without giving out any more intimate details.

“We spend a lot of time in front of cameras or in front of eyeballs so there are certain things we enjoy keeping private to ourselves,” he said.

The newly engaged couple could further surprise fans by teaming up in the mixed doubles competition at the AO.

“There’s a chance, there’s always a chance,” de Minaur said with a grin.