Alex De Minaur’s Form Slump Continues In Racket-smashing Exit At Italian Open

Alex de Minaur has been reduced to racket-smashing vexation arsenic his alarming slump successful shape continued pinch different early clay-court tourney exit astatine nan Italian Open.

Australia’s world No 8 was downed 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by location favourite Matteo Arnaldi, who was shouted to nan rafters astatine nan Foro Italico by nan excited Rome crowd connected Friday morning.

But it was different dispiriting setback for de Minaur, who suffered his 3rd nonaccomplishment successful a statement and had to soak up first-match defeats successful back-to-back tournaments for nan first clip successful 3 years.

After his opening-match drubbing to rising Rafael Jodar astatine nan Madrid Masters, de Minaur had been expected to get a chance astatine revenge against nan Spanish teen prima successful nan last-32 by downing world No 106 Arnaldi.

But successful different adjacent title aft he’d taken nan opening set, de Minaur was nan 1 who faltered astatine nan extremity of a thrilling matter that lasted 4 minutes awkward of 3 hours.

Having surgery backmost to necktie nan third-set people astatine 4-4, de Minaur past sewage surgery to emotion and was truthful enraged astatine netting a game-losing forehand that he smashed his racquet into nan clay successful an uncharacteristic show of disgust.

The rainfall that started to travel down successful nan denouement can’t person helped his temper either, arsenic de Minaur seemed progressively irritated by his ain inconsistency. He coughed up 37 unforced errors successful all, prompting him astatine times to outcry retired successful exasperation towards his coaching box.

De Minaur has now mislaid 4 of his past 5 matches connected clay, which hardly bodes good arsenic he sets his sights connected nan French Open later this month.

Alex de Minaur and Matteo Arnaldi shingle hands aft their 2nd information lucifer astatine nan Italian Open. Photograph: Claudia Greco/Reuters

It wasn’t nan biggest daze of nan day, though, arsenic Novak Djokovic, successful his return to action aft 2 months retired pinch a correct enarthrosis injury, bowed retired 2-6 6-2 6-4 astatine nan hands of a Croatian qualifier 18 years younger than him.

The 20-year-old Dino Prizmic, world No 79 and rising, knocked retired nan 24-time expansive slam champ pinch an ace connected his first lucifer point, and admitted afterwards: “He’s my idol – I conscionable played unbelievably today.”

The 38-year-old Djokovic, who hadn’t played since losing to Jack Draper successful nan 4th information successful Indian Wells successful March, had his enarthrosis taped and looked acold from his sharpest.

Alexei Popyrin now remains nan past Australian successful nan singles tie successful Rome aft Sydneysider Aleksandar Vukic was good beaten 6-4 6-2 by American 16th seed Tommy Paul.