Both de Minaur and Australia’s Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt revealed last year they unsuccessfully tried to bring the nation’s top-ranked player back into the fold.

Kyrgios planned to compete in the United Cup this month before an ankle injury caused him to withdraw, but even that caused a storm when Hewitt was critical of how he communicated his status.

De Minaur and Kyrgios could meet in the Australian Open quarter-finals if they can both negotiate difficult draws.

The world No. 24, whose career-high ranking is 15, is aiming to make more deep runs at the world’s biggest tournaments to ignite his top-10 ambition.

“As the person I am, as the player I am, I’m not satisfied where I am right now, so I want to keep improving and, for me, that’s [top 10] the next step, and it’s just about getting there now,” de Minaur said.

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“I’m feeling great, playing some great tennis, feeling mentally fresh [and] physically fresh ... this year I feel a bit better than I did the year before.

“That’s just been what I’ve been trying to accomplish my whole career – improving every day and getting a bit better than the day before, and I’m excited to get my Aussie Open campaign started.

“I think I’ve always had the level to beat these guys, but now it’s the belief, after getting a few of those breakthrough wins, it’s very much possible and doable every week ... I know that I can take it to these top guys.”

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