clay slump – Alex de Minaur suffers another early clay-court exit at the Italian Open after a racquet-smashing tantrum.
A racquet-smashing outburst during another early exit has thrown Alex de Minaur’s clay-court struggles into sharper focus at the Italian Open, just as the French Open looms.
De Minaur, the world No.. 8, was beaten 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by home favourite Matteo Arnaldi in Rome.. It was his third straight loss. and his frustration spilled over at the net after he found himself undone in the decisive moments.. With unforced errors mounting and irritations growing as the match swung. the Australian struck a clay court surface in clear anger after an own-game forehand miscue.
The concerning theme for de Minaur is not just results, but timing. When momentum starts slipping on clay, his temper and inconsistency can become a mirror of the form problem that makes closing matches harder.
Earlier in the season. Misryoum reports that de Minaur had already suffered a heavy first-round setback at the Madrid Masters. and the expectation in Rome was that he could respond against Arnaldi after winning the opening set.. Instead. the encounter tightened into a tense contest where he couldn’t sustain the level at the end. leaving him to absorb first-match defeats in consecutive tournaments for the first time in roughly three years.
Meanwhile, the day also delivered a headline-altering result elsewhere in the draw.. Novak Djokovic. returning to action after missing time with a right shoulder injury. was eliminated 2-6 6-2 6-4 by Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic.. Prizmic, ranked No.. 79, made the breakthrough with conviction, converting a first match point to send the 24-time Grand Slam champion packing.
For contenders at Roland Garros, Djokovic’s early departure matters even if injuries are involved, because it reshuffles the balance of confidence and opportunity across the bracket.
In Italy, De Minaur’s exit left another piece of the Australian story unfinished: Alexei Popyrin was the only remaining player from the country in the singles draw, after Aleksandar Vukic lost 6-4 6-2 to American 16th seed Tommy Paul.
At the end of the day, Misryoum’s takeaway is clear: de Minaur now heads toward the French Open with a fragile clay identity, and Rome’s lessons will be tested quickly once the tournament pressure rises and the margins tighten.