Finding a Way: de Minaur Grinds Out Three-Hour Clay Battle in Rome
Alex de Minaur just won a thrilling three-hour win on the clay at the Foro Italico, taking down the tough Felix Auger-Aliassime to make it to the last 16 in Rome.
After a rocky start and losing the first set in a tie-break, Alex turned things around big time to clinch the match 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4.
He faced some tense moments in the final set, even letting a 3-1 lead slip away, but he broke back in the ninth game and served out the match.
Alex shared after the match, “Felix is really tough on clay, and he came in riding high on confidence, so I’m stoked about how I kept my cool and stayed positive throughout. There were moments I could’ve sealed it earlier, but hey, I regrouped, and I’m super happy with how I handled it.”
This win against a top-20 player on clay is a big deal for Alex, marking only his second time pulling it off in 13 tries!