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New-found serving power and supreme belief is fuelling Alex de Minaur as the world No.13 spearheads a 14-strong Australian challenge at the US Open in New York.

With new-found firepower, unshakable belief and a ferocious appetite to prove the doubters wrong, Alex de Minaur is a man on a mission at tennis's final grand slam of the year.

Fresh off his first appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 final, de Minaur will spearhead an impressive 14-strong Australian challenge at the US Open starting in New York on Monday.

The world No.13 will open his campaign against Kazakh qualifier Timofey Skatov full of confidence after climbing to a career-high ranking in 2023 thanks largely to a steely focus on beefing up physically.

De Minaur has long been revered for his lightning speed but derided for lacking the weapons off the ground to match the sport's heavyweights on the biggest stages.

Novak Djokovic ruthlessly dismantled de Minaur for the loss of just five games in this year's Australian Open fourth round in an all-too-familiar reality check for the dogged baseliner.

But he's since claimed four top-10 scalps, including 2021 US Open champion and former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev, after increasing his first-serve velocity and hammering down deliveries in excess of 210km/h.

"It's been no secret that's an area of my game that I've been constantly trying to improve," de Minaur said.

"Probably up there with one of the things that is going to take me to the next level is to be able to get more free points on serve."

That and a siege mentality not dissimilar to the me-against-the-world attitude that helped carry his Davis Cup captain and mentor Lleyton Hewitt to US Open glory and world No.1 status 22 years ago.

"Ultimately, the tennis world maybe isn't as excited with what I've got to bring to the court is probably the way I would describe it," de Minaur said.

"A lot of people don't realise how hard it is to get to the position I am, and the amount of work that's gone into it.

"I'm the type of guy that's got to work for every point. I've got to find solutions. I've got to look at my opponent and try to find his weakness and exploit it.

"A lot of people might not appreciate what it takes to be where I am right now.

"But the beauty of that is that I know I'm going to push every single ounce that I've got in my body, in myself, to get to the best level that I can.

"And I'll be very happy once I'm retired and I'm sitting on my couch. I'll be able to look at my career and say, 'You know what? I achieved great things just by pure hard work and determination'."

De Minaur, who is projected to run into third seed Medvedev in the fourth round, is among seven of the nine Australians in the men's singles who will play first-round matches on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).

Australia's No.2 Alexei Popyrin, up against Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker, and wildcard Rinky Hijikata, playing Russian Pavel Kotov, will fly the flag on Monday (Tuesday AEST).

All five Australians in the women's singles - 2022 quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Saville, wildcard Storm Hunter, qualifier Olivia Gadecki and lucky loser Kim Birrell - also feature on day one.

AUSSIES IN ACTION ON DAY ONE OF THE US OPEN ON MONDAY (TUESDAY AEST). PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING:

Women's singles, first round

Ajla Tomljanovic v Panna Udvardy (HUN)

Daria Saville v Clervie Ngounoue (USA)

Storm Hunter v 10-Karolina Muchova (CZE)

Kim Birrell v Jennifer Brady (USA)

Olivia Gadecki v Mirra Andreeva (RUS)

Men's singles, first round

Alexei Popyrin v Dominic Stricker (SUI)

Rinky Hijikata v Pavel Kotov (RUS)