"My dad had to evacuate our house" - Alex de Minaur's Australian Open 2R opponent opens up on LA wildfires taking devastating toll on family & friends

Debutant Tristan Boyer has set up an Australian Open showdown with Alex De Minaur after coming through a tight opening-round win. The American won a five-set marathon against Federico Coria 6-3, 6-7(3), 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

The win holds extra significance for the Altadena native given all the devastation being caused by the raging wildfires back home in Los Angeles.

Speaking to Tennis Channel in his latest interview, Boyer revealed that his father had to evacuate their house amid the fires. He was quick to add that while their situation was alright, they had friends and family who had lost their homes to the wildfires.

"My dad had to evacuate our house," Tristan Boyer said. "Luckily it’s OK, but we have friends and family who are homeless. It’s really, really devastating to see."

The youngster said he was trying his best to focus on things that he could control, including his tennis. By continuing his run at the Australian, he hoped to give people back home some good news to take their minds off the devastation.

"One thing that you focus on a lot is just controlling what you can control," Tristan Boyer said. "That’s just a general thing."

"This kind of falls into that category. It’s something that I can’t really do anything about right now, but I mean, obviously when I come off the court and after I’ve done all the prep and everything, yeah, it’s crazy what’s happening. I mean, I just want to give people some good news," he added.

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"It’s going to be super, super fun" - Tristan Boyer on playing Alex De Minaur

Tristan Boyer will take on Alex De Minaur in the 2025 Australian Open second round. (Source: Getty)

Tristan Boyer is excited at the prospect of playing Alex De Minaur in the next round. The obvious challenges that the top-10 player brings aside, playing someone from Australia guarantees a big court.

On the prospect of playing at the Rod Laver Arena, the American said it would be a “super fun” experience. He expressed hope that the match would provide those back home a slight distraction as they battle the calamity.

"It’s going to be super, super fun," Tristan Boyer said. "I’ve never played a match on a stadium like that. Practiced on [Arthur] Ashe [Stadium] a few times, but that’s it. It’s awesome."

"Hopefully they can see it," he continued. "And be a little distracted for a little bit."

Boyer and De Minaur will take to the court for their second-round encounter on Thursday. The Aussie defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening match of his campaign.