Aussie Alex de Minaur is on the verge of a rare feat as he could potentially defeat Rafa Nadal twice on clay in the same season. Last week, de Minaur made history by becoming the first Australian to defeat Nadal on clay at the Barcelona Open. Now, the duo is drawn on the same side of the draw at the Madrid Open, setting up a potential rematch.
Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros champion, made his professional comeback at the Madrid Open, defeating Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. However, his return was short-lived as de Minaur, in top form, dominated him in the second round of the Barcelona Open.
With Nadal facing American Darwin Blanch in the first round of the Madrid Open, he could potentially meet de Minaur in the second round. The Australian, who received a bye in the first round, will have the rare opportunity to defeat Nadal twice on clay within a week.
In other tennis news, Rafa Nadal surprised fans by announcing his participation in the Laver Cup later this year, hinting that he may not be retiring anytime soon. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Madrid Open to rest his body ahead of his Roland Garros title defense after receiving the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. Djokovic, who has had a quiet season by his standards, will be looking to regain top form for the upcoming tournaments.