Alex de Minaur shocked tennis fans with his bold mindset heading into a pivotal clash with Rafael Nadal at the 2024 Madrid Open. In what became the Spanish legend’s final appearance at the tournament, Nadal delivered a vintage performance to defeat the Australian—just days after losing to him in Barcelona.
De Minaur later admitted that beating Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion and the undisputed “King of Clay,” required a radical mental shift:
“You have to lose all the respect you have for him and just play him as another player,” he explained.
This wasn’t their first meeting. Nadal had won their first three encounters between 2018 and 2020. But De Minaur eventually turned the tide, most notably with a win in Barcelona in 2024 on Pista Rafa Nadal—a court named after the legend himself.
Despite Nadal’s physical decline from repeated injuries, he bounced back in Madrid, avenging his earlier defeat with a 7-6(6), 6-3 win over the world No. 10. Nadal, 38 at the time, acknowledged he could no longer maintain intensity over full matches but still had the fire to pull off memorable wins.
“In Barcelona, I was only able to compete in one set,” Nadal said. “Alex is a tough opponent—he makes you play every point.”
That match in Madrid marked Nadal’s last at the tournament, where he was honored with a ceremony at Manolo Santana Stadium. His official retirement followed at the end of 2024 during the Davis Cup Finals. Nadal is expected to return to Roland Garros next month for a special tribute during the French Open.
