When one of Australia's bright young tennis prospects Googles himself, he sees only the images of his second cousin, who got the name and fame first. Matthew Dellavedova, the Milwaulkee Bucks guard, is the best-known "Delly" in the family; for 16-year-old Matthew Dellavedova, the name is a reliable conversation starter.
"Half the people don't believe me when I say I'm related to him," says the Wonga Park student, world No.700 junior and aspiring pro, who has never been introduced to his US-based namesake, an NBA Championship-winning player last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Five things I learnt at the Australian Open
Sports reporter Ronnie Lerner learns five things from day six of the Australian Open 2017 in Melbourne.
"He's a second cousin, that's all I know. I've never actually met him before. I would have, but he's too busy in America for most of the year and stuff. So maybe if I go to Maryborough and he's down there at the same time I'll be able to see him. I'm from here but from Dad's from Maryborough and stuff, so I go up there for family events and stuff and spend a lot of time there."
Despite having a rangy basketballer's build, the 190-centimetre athlete prefers the more gladiatorial one-on-one sport, having grown up idolising Roger Federer for both his one and off-court qualities, and the fierce "animalistic" attitude of the likes of Rafael Nadal.
Basketball? "I've never played it myself, apart from maybe half an hour in my lifetime, but I'd like to definitely have a game with him."Â
The NBA? "I don't actually follow basketball, but I've got more interest in it, just purely because he's playing it. I watched a bit of his college games and then I hear it every now and then (about him) winning that ... I don't know what it's called, but he had a big victory. So I mean, it's good for him and it's pretty cool that we're related."
Tennis' Dellavedova, who won his opening round match in the Australian Open boys' singles against Dutch qualifier Ien Schouten on Sunday, is the son of Peter, a coach and former pro, who reached a career-high ranking of 480th back in 1980. The owner of a stylish single-handed backhand and admirer of #nextGen stars such as Dominic Thiem and Sascha Zverev, the Tintern Grammar distance education student earned his first ATP rankings point at the Cairns International last year, has a racquet sponsorship with Head and a career prizemoney total of $744.
The NBA's Dellavedova is in the first season of a $51.2 million deal with the Bucks he signed after crossing from the Cavs, and returned to the starting line-up on Saturday night against the Miami Heat, having struggled with a hamstring injury.
The sons of cousins Peter and Mark are both competitive beasts, it seems, and the younger Delly has been inspired by what the so-called old guard has achieved. "It's pretty annoying typing my name in Google and all that's popped up is him," said Matthew Dellavedova II. "So it's been (an incentive) for me to get better and hopefully one day my face will be on there, too."