“Altadena is one of my favorite places in the world,” said Boyer, 23. “I grew up there. It’s such a pretty place. Coming home after a long trip and seeing the beautiful mountains, getting to see my family and being in one of the most beautiful places in the world. The weather is always great. I love it so much and I’m devastated to hear about what happened.”
Though Boyer’s family home is as yet unaffected by the fires, his father was forced to evacuate late last week. The world No. 136 is in Melbourne with his mother and grandfather while his brother is at college farther north in Santa Cruz, California.
“I don’t think it’s really fully hit me yet, but when I go back and probably see it in person, it’s going to kill me, for sure. It’s my home and my favorite place in the world.”
Despite the incredible circumstances, Boyer is optimistic he can treat his first meeting against De Minaur like any other match with help from coach Alejandro Fabbri.
“[He’s] going to get into the real nitty-gritty with the data and tactics, try to transmit that to me in a way that’s simplified and helpful just like we’ve done for the last four matches.
“Obviously, when it comes time to prep for the match, I think about things I can control,” he added. “[The fire] isn’t really one of them. But when I’m out there, I’m thinking about doing well for my hometown and for people I love, it’s something that fuels me for sure.”
