‘This is the one’: Tommy Paul reveals he is hunting for ‘revenge’ against Aussie ‘Clay Dog’ Alex de Minaur at the Rome Open
Tommy Paul entered the fourth round of the 2025 Italian Open on May 13 with a fire in his belly, declaring, “This is the one,” as he sought his first career win against Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the self-proclaimed “Clay Dog.” The American No. 11 seed, speaking to Tennis Channel after a gritty 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 victory over Tomas Machac, expressed heightened motivation to end his 0-5 head-to-head drought against the world No. 8, whom he called a “great player” who’s been “owning me on the pro tour.” Paul’s pursuit of revenge culminated in a breakthrough 7-5, 6-3 triumph, his first top-10 win of 2025, propelling him to the Rome quarter-finals for the second straight year.
Paul’s determination stemmed from their competitive history, including a 7-5, 6-4 de Minaur win at the 2022 Italian Open, their only prior clay clash. “We’ve had some wars, amazing matches. I’ve had so many opportunities against him,” Paul said, referencing tight losses in Acapulco and Los Cabos in 2023, both three-setters. He aimed to challenge de Minaur’s “Clay Dog” moniker, earned after a Monte-Carlo semi-final run, by leveraging his improved clay game—movement and power, as he told The Tennis Gazette. Paul’s 6-2 clay record in 2025, including a Houston semi-final, and a career-high No. 9 ranking earlier this year, fueled his confidence.
The match, delayed by a hailstorm, saw Paul capitalize on de Minaur’s 32 unforced errors, breaking serve in the fourth and 12th games of the first set and racing to a 5-1 lead in the second. His 44 first-serve points and seven aces, per ATP Stats, neutralized de Minaur’s elite 40.5% clay break-point conversion rate. Despite de Minaur’s speed and consistency, Paul’s aggressive forehand and sturdy backhand, honed since their junior days, secured the upset. Social media buzzed with praise, noting Paul as the first American to reach consecutive Rome quarter-finals since Courier and Sampras in 1993-94.
Paul next faces Hubert Hurkacz, aiming for a second Masters 1000 semi-final. His victory over de Minaur, the only player to reach the last 16 of all 2025 Masters 1000 events, marks a pivotal moment in his French Open preparations.
