Three men's local hopes will be seeded for the first time in 43 years as Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson look to defy the odds and pull off a famous Australian Open triumph. De Minaur will be seeded eighth, Popyrin 25th and Thompson 27th when the Open draw takes place in Melbourne on Thursday night.
![[Alexei Popyrin is one of the most improved players on the ATP circuit and will be seeded 25th at Melbourne Park]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/02/93852257-14261243-image-a-63_1736304165257.jpg)
Not since 1982 when grand slams only had 16 seeds and the Australian Open failed to attract the world's best players has the host country had three men protected from higher-ranked rivals in the opening rounds. Wimbledon 2000 when Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis graced the courts is the only other time Australia has boasted three men's seeds at a slam this century.
![[Energetic baseliner Jordan Thompson is seeded 27th, with the draw taking place on Thursday night in Melbourne]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/02/93852277-14261243-image-a-62_1736304154744.jpg)
But without a men's grand slam singles champion in 23 years, these are relatively heady days for Australian men's tennis. Nine players are ranked inside the top 100 and coming off a watershed showing at the US Open in September. Three men's local hopes will be seeded for the first time in 43 years as Alex de Minaur (pictured) Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson look to defy the odds and pull off a famous Australian Open triumph.
Alexei Popyrin is one of the most improved players on the ATP circuit and will be seeded 25th at Melbourne Park. Australia had a total of 20 players in the singles main draws at Flushing Meadows, a 42-year first, with de Minaur making the quarter-finals after ousting Thompson in the fourth round, and Popyrin arriving as a grand slam force with victory over the great Novak Djokovic under New York's bright lights.
