While Alex de Minaur continues to grow in confidence on clay, Novak Djokovic’s struggles on the surface deepened with another early exit at the Madrid Open.
Australia’s world No 7 began his campaign in dominant fashion, dispatching Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday. De Minaur’s clinical performance underlined his evolution on clay courts, a surface where he has historically been less comfortable.
Meanwhile, at Madrid’s Caja Mágica, much of the buzz centered around Djokovic’s shock first-round defeat. The 24-time Grand Slam champion fell 6-3, 6-4, marking his third consecutive loss and another setback in his pursuit of a landmark 100th career title.
As De Minaur surged with precision and confidence, Djokovic’s aura on clay appeared to fade further, raising fresh questions about the future of one of tennis’s greatest champions.
