[ad_1]
Four days after being surpassed in an epic semifinal duel in Monte Carlo, Alex de Minaur returned to the Clay-Court victory march in Barcelona.
The Australian star moved gently towards the second round of the Barcelona Open with a 6-4 6-4 defeat by Tomas Martin Etcheverry from Argentina.
Speaking before the game, De Minaur had warned: “I am beginning to be dangerous on this surface.”
True to his word, the world No. 7 dominated at all times. He seized the initiative with early breaks in both sets and consolidated without granting a single breakdown.
In contrast, Etcheverry, also won 6-1 6-4 by De Minaur in the United Cup in Sydney in December, failed to convert two own rest points. LT ended in 82 minutes.
From Minaur, last week, he pointed out his intentions of the clay court by burning up to the last four on Mount Carlo Masters, demolishing Daniil Medvedev 6-2 6-2 in the last 16 before an amazing victory ‘Double Bagel’ 6-0 6-0 over Grigor Dimitrov gave him a semifinal position.
It seems that it became the first Australian from John Newcombe in 1969 to reach the final of the prestigious Masters 1000 event, it only stopped in a battle of almost three hours that ended in a defeat by Back-Break against Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, which fought to win 1-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4).
Perhaps the victory had a great cost for Musetti, who collapsed to a reverse of 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz in the last 24 hours later.
Back in Barcelona, from Minaur now faces Jacob Fearnley, the British No.2 who claimed his first victory in the ATP Tour raffle in Clay against Roberto Carballes Baena. The Scotsman, who reached the main draw as a lucky loser, beat Spanish 6-1 7-5.
Fearnley qualified outside the Top 600 a year ago, but won four ATP Challenger titles in 2024 to rise within Top 100.
[ad_2]
Source link
