Alex de Minaur is looking increasingly formidable on clay courts, marking his Madrid Open debut with a ruthless 6-2, 6-3 victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. The Australian No. 1’s performance was almost flawless, as he made only nine unforced errors during the 75-minute match. His precise and clinical dismantling of Sonego came after an early setback, losing his serve in the opening game, but de Minaur quickly regained control, showcasing a level of confidence on the surface that he previously lacked.
Having made impressive strides on clay in recent months, de Minaur’s game is now in full bloom. The 26-year-old reached the semi-finals in Monte Carlo and the quarter-finals in Barcelona earlier this year, a notable improvement from his previous struggles on clay. After his victory over Sonego, de Minaur wrote “Como en casa” on the camera lens, which translates to “Like home,” underscoring how at ease he now feels on the surface. The Spanish-based Aussie, who has always felt more comfortable on hard courts, is now eyeing a deep run in Madrid and a strong lead-up to the French Open.
De Minaur’s serve has been a key factor in his recent success, with the Australian admitting that it was particularly effective in his match against Sonego. His aggressive approach and reduced unforced errors have allowed him to dictate play with greater confidence. “I was very happy with how I settled mentally, and was able to bounce back straight away after losing my serve first game,” he said. “The serve was great today, and it made my life a lot easier.” With this newfound consistency, de Minaur is optimistic about his chances as he heads into the third round, where he will face Denis Shapovalov, who defeated Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4.
Meanwhile, the tournament has been far less kind to Novak Djokovic. The 37-year-old Serbian, who had hoped to continue his quest for a 100th career title, suffered another disappointing first-round loss, this time to Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who triumphed 6-3, 6-4. This marks Djokovic’s third consecutive loss, following his final defeat at the Miami Open and an early exit in Monte Carlo. Djokovic, visibly frustrated with his performance, acknowledged that his level of tennis is not where he would like it to be. “I’ve had a few of these this year where I lose in the first round, unfortunately,” Djokovic said. “Still my level of tennis is not where I would like it to be.”
After his early exit, Djokovic even questioned whether he would return to the Madrid Open next year, a sign of his growing concerns about his diminishing form. “It could be, it could be,” Djokovic said when asked about his future in the tournament. “I’m not sure if I will come back. I mean, I’ll come back, maybe not as a player. I hope it’s not, but it could be.” For the 21-time Grand Slam champion, this loss has raised further doubts about whether he can regain his previous dominance on clay.
In other matches, Stefanos Tsitsipas battled past Jan-Lennard Struff in a thrilling 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback to advance to the third round. He will next face 10th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, who triumphed over Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. With the competition heating up in Madrid, the spotlight now firmly falls on the rising stars like de Minaur, while veterans like Djokovic grapple with their waning form.
