China's Wu Di faces vastly greater expectations in Melbourne, writes Sun Xiaochen.

It is not Wu Di's debut at Melbourne Park, but it is definitely his most important appearance.

The world No 186 player, who will play his first Grand Slam main draw match on Tuesday, has already found his Australian Open schedule packed with various off-court assignments.

Major media outlets including Reuters and the New York Times booked one-on-one interviews with him, and local newspaper The Age posted a large picture of a grinning Wu with a detailed profile on Monday to introduce the low-profile young man.

Reporters even surrounded the practice courts for closer glimpses of the Chinese player in scenes reminiscent of those of big names like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

The tournament's organizing committee even arranged as tour of the city's Chinatown to let him meet the local Chinese community, which is regarded as a major consumer demographic during the event.

That has all been well outside of the 21-year-old's imagination, although he is fully aware of the significance of his presence.

"I felt very nervous at the beginning because this time was so different than my first time playing here," Wu told China Daily after practice on Monday. "The layout and visibility in the park might have changed a bit, but that's not the main thing."

Wu's first appearance at Melbourne Park was in 2008, when he reached the quarterfinals of the junior event, a feat that didn't draw much attention in China.

"I still remember the players' lounge was pretty empty during the boys' tournament because it was after the senior games. But now, all the lockers are booked and I occasionally meet big stars like (Andy) Murray," he said.

"It's actually a bigger challenge to get my mind used to the atmosphere and the outside attention while remaining focused on my game."

His coach has no complaints.

"All this sudden attention is good for him," David Moreau said. "If you are nobody, people aren't scared of you. If they know, the young guy is coming from China and he went up 300 places (in the rankings) and he won the national championship and Open wild card, it's different. I want his opponents to know that. I want them to think this is a serious player and that they must not underestimate him.

"He must give 100 percent, but also make sure he enjoys the ride. I know he has the capacity to win (at this level) but he needs to relax. If he thinks too much, he will be stiff and not get the breaks. If he gives everything, I am confident."

Moreau's belief in Wu comes from the six weeks they spent in France during the offseason.

Wu hit 5,000 serves in the grinding camp and didn't rest a single day during four solid weeks in chilly Dijon, a small town 270 kilometers from Paris.

The new surroundings, bereft of Chinese faces and familiar food, provided Wu with the opportunity to acclimate to the life of a professional player.

"I used to be a little bit lazy and couldn't settle down to practice alone," he said. "This time there was only me, David and the balls. I had nothing to do but practice and then face all the stuff off the court. I think I'd better get used to the travel in the future."

Once a playful teenager who took his Winnie the Pooh bear everywhere for good luck and was shy facing the media, Wu is now a more mature player who can handle foreign media interviews in simple English.

"He's been able to make some real conversation about tennis and other things with me. I am not worried about this. I can leave him alone with the media. He's smart," Moreau said.

As for the plan against first-round opponent Ivan Dodig of Croatia, Moreau said Wu's mobility could provide an edge.

"(Dodig) has a very good serve," he said. "He fights well behind the baseline. But he is not as creative as Wu. He is a fighter and will battle every shot. And Wu has to be smart enough to make him run."

(China Daily 01/15/2013 page24)