Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has delivered one of the most dominant performances in ATP Masters history, dismantling Grigor Dimitrov with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 victory in just 45 minutes at the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals.
The astonishing result marks the first time a player has won a quarter-final or later round in an ATP Masters 1000 event with a double-bagel scoreline since the format’s introduction in 1990, according to OptaAce.
Nicknamed “The Demon,” de Minaur allowed Dimitrov just one winner throughout the match, while the Bulgarian committed 23 unforced errors and won only five points in the second set.
“Pretty crazy,” de Minaur said after the match. “I knew I’d never done that before. The only time I lost 6-0, 6-0 was to Tommy Paul in juniors, so this is wild.”
The victory not only catapults de Minaur into the Monte Carlo semi-finals—where he’ll face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti—but also puts him within reach of a top-five ATP ranking. He would be the first Australian to achieve that milestone since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001.
He has now become the first player on the ATP Tour to reach 20 match wins in 2025, and the first Aussie to reach the Monte Carlo semi-finals since John Alexander in 1979.
Tennis journalists and fans were stunned by the result. Veteran writer José Morgado posted on X: “What the hell did I just watch?” while The Tennis Letter simply reacted: “Wow.”
Elsewhere in Monte Carlo
On the other side of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz battled past rising French talent Arthur Fils in a thrilling three-set quarter-final: 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. The Spaniard saved three crucial break points late in the second set to turn the match around.
“Fils is playing at a very high level right now,” Alcaraz said. “He puts a lot of pressure on his opponents.”
Alcaraz will next face compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who eased past Aussie Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2, continuing a strong campaign after eliminating Jack Draper in the previous round.
With Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev already eliminated, Alcaraz is now a strong favourite to take the title—potentially his first Masters win since Indian Wells 2024
