Alex de Minaur is relishing a ‘once in a lifetime’ victory after overcoming the clay court maestro Rafael Nadal in what could potentially mark the end of Nadal’s era at the Barcelona Open.
Nadal, in just his third match of the year after a lengthy injury hiatus, didn’t display his usual sharpness in only his second tournament appearance in 15 months. Nevertheless, de Minaur’s dominance on the Pista Rafa Nadal at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona on Wednesday overshadowed the 12-time champion’s performance.
De Minaur exhibited decisiveness, and persistence in his 7-5 6-1 triumph. Even though this wasn’t the vintage Nadal, the 37-year-old still commands respect on the red clay. But Australia’s top-ranked player executed a flawless match, relegating the Spanish titan to defeat through well-executed drop shots, and his relentless speed and physical prowess around the court.
In a historic feat, de Minaur became the first Australian in 13 attempts to defeat Nadal on clay, marking the significance of the occasion.
‘Initially, I wasn’t thrilled about facing Rafa when the draw came out. However, I shifted my mindset and saw it as a tremendous opportunity, a once in a lifetime chance,’ De Minaur expressed. ‘I’m incredibly pleased to secure the victory. I consider myself very fortunate not to have faced Rafa a few years earlier on clay; the outcome would have been vastly different. It’s been an extraordinary experience, and now we look ahead. It’s been a fantastic year.’
While for Nadal, this match could potentially mark his farewell from the court bearing his name, as he approaches the twilight of his illustrious career.
De Minaur displayed utmost respect by applauding without excessive celebration as Nadal received a standing ovation upon leaving the court. However, from the outset, de Minaur demonstrated his intent with an unstoppable drop shot on the first point, setting the tone for the match.
Utilizing his superior physicality against Nadal’s aging prowess, de Minaur opted for long, grueling rallies, capitalizing on his speed. Nadal attempted to mount a comeback in the first set, and in fact, had a chance to go up 5-3, but his game was marred by numerous unforced errors – a total of 42 – stemming from his rusty form.
The pivotal moment arrived at 5-5 in the first set, where de Minaur seized the opportunity, breaking Nadal’s serve to love before confidently closing out the set with an impressive streak of 11 consecutive winning points.
As the second set commenced, Nadal appeared visibly rattled and outmatched by the Australian, who now poses a threat on any surface. De Minaur only dropped two points on his serve throughout the whole second set. His next opponent in the last-16 will be either the emerging 16th seed Arthur Fils or the German Daniel Altmaier.
For Nadal, he was pragmatic about his return to the court.
“On a personal level, for what is to come, the 6-1 in the second set is what had to happen today,” said Nadal, who explained he did not want to push himself too far.
“That’s the way I need to proceed today, to give me a chance to compete at Roland Garros,” he added.
“I’ll try to take a step further in Madrid, then in Rome, and if, in any tournament it’s worth going out there to give everything and die, it’s in Paris.”
