Alex de Minaur missed a major chance to boost his ranking and claim a clay court title after a straight-sets loss to Lorenzo Musetti in Madrid. The defeat came shortly after World No.1 Jannik Sinner revealed he considered walking away from tennis during the fallout from his doping case.
De Minaur had a clear path to progress at the Madrid Open, with Carlos Alcaraz absent and Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev knocked out early. After cruising through his first two matches, the Aussie fell 6-4, 6-2 to Musetti — the same opponent who beat him in Monte Carlo just weeks earlier. De Minaur failed to earn a single break point and struggled to impact Musetti’s serve throughout.
The loss is a significant setback, especially with only Jack Draper seeded higher among the remaining contenders. Draper has now leapfrogged de Minaur in the ATP rankings, and the Aussie risks falling further if Daniil Medvedev and Musetti continue their runs.
Despite leading the ATP Tour in match wins this season, de Minaur remains without a title in 2025 and continues to falter against top-tier opponents. With Roland Garros approaching, his endurance and speed give him hope over best-of-five matches, but he’ll aim to improve his ranking to avoid early encounters with the likes of Alcaraz or a returning Sinner.
Sinner Reflects on Mental Toll of Suspension
Meanwhile, Sinner — the reigning Australian Open champion — opened up about the emotional toll of his doping suspension. Speaking ahead of his comeback at the Italian Open, the 23-year-old admitted he considered quitting tennis altogether during the ordeal.
“Yes, I remember not being in a good place before the Australian Open,” he told Italian broadcaster Rai TV. Sinner competed in Melbourne unsure of whether he’d face a ban, after testing positive in 2024 due to a banned cream allegedly used by a masseur.
He described feeling isolated during the tournament. “I didn’t feel comfortable in the locker room or while eating. Players looked at me differently. That wasn’t nice,” he said. “I’ve always been someone who enjoys chatting and joking around. But everything changed. It didn’t feel good.”
Sinner went on to win the Australian Open before being handed a three-month suspension. His return is set for the Italian Open in Rome.
Many critics argued Sinner received lenient treatment, with some pointing out he was allowed to continue competing during the investigation. Sinner rejected those claims.
“There were no special treatments,” he insisted. “I had several hearings and was tested even more afterwards. I really struggled with those three months because I believe I did nothing wrong. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone — especially not someone who’s innocent.”
