Australia’s Alex de Minaur reached the fourth round of the Madrid Open after a dominant straight-sets victory over Denis Shapovalov. The match was delayed due to a power outage, but De Minaur quickly found his rhythm on the court.
Strong Start for De Minaur
De Minaur defeated Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 in less than 90 minutes on Court Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. The sixth seed took control early, breaking Shapovalov in the fifth game of the first set. He broke again in the ninth game to win the set with a clean 6-3 score.
Pressure in the Second Set
The second set saw both players battle through a tough contest, ultimately reaching a tiebreak. De Minaur stayed composed and won the tiebreak easily, sealing the match with a 7-6 win and advancing to the last 16 of the tournament.
Impressive Record and Next Challenge
De Minaur now boasts an impressive 24 wins this season, tying him with Carlos Alcaraz for the most tour victories. He will face Lorenzo Musetti in the next round, aiming for his third clay court quarter-final this season.
Power Outage Causes Disruption
The match was initially scheduled for Monday night but was delayed along with 21 other matches after a power blackout struck Spain. The outage caused widespread disruption across the Iberian Peninsula, affecting subway systems, phone lines, and traffic lights. In a unique twist, players had to eat by candlelight, and doubles player Fernando Romboli was rescued after being stuck in a lift.
Other Results
Grigor Dimitrov also advanced, winning his match after the power returned. Dimitrov was leading 6-4, 5-4 when the blackout occurred but went on to win the match 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the tie-break.
American Success
Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, both from the U.S., also progressed to the next round. Paul defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, while Tiafoe beat Alexandre Muller 6-3, 6-3.
Unexpected Upsets
Teenager Jakub Mensic stunned Alexander Bublik with a 6-3, 6-2 win, while Britain’s Cameron Norrie was knocked out by Canada’s Gabriel Diallo 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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