Madrid Masters: Gabriel Diallo’s Lucky Loser Story
The Mutua Madrid Open has always been a tournament of surprises, and this year’s edition has been no exception. Canadian tennis player Gabriel Diallo has emerged as the latest Cinderella story, riding a wave of momentum sparked by an unexpected second chance. According to ATPTour.com, Diallo’s name was not even in the draw 10 days ago, but he is now into the quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.
Diallo’s journey began when he lost in the second round of qualifying to Borna Coric, and his clay-court season was off to a rocky start after failing to qualify in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona. However, when Carlos Alcaraz withdrew, a lucky loser spot opened up, and Diallo got the call. "I was out of the tournament, then I got a call saying I could take someone’s spot," Diallo told ATPTour.com. "I kind of knew what I had to do, what I did wrong in my last match and I improved a lot in that part. It does free you a bit, with it being a second [chance]. Luckily, I’ve been able to put good matches together."
Diallo’s run in Madrid has been nothing short of remarkable. He has defeated Top 100 players Cameron Norrie, Kamil Majchrzak, and Zizou Bergs, and saved three match points against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round to record the biggest win of his career. As per ATPTour.com, the 23-year-old is projected to rise 25 spots to No. 53 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, and he’s not done yet. He’ll face Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday evening for a shot at the semi-finals. If he pulls off another upset, Diallo would join fellow Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov as the only Canadians to reach the final four in Madrid.
Diallo’s connection to the Canadian tennis community runs deep. He has known Auger-Aliassime, who reached the final in Madrid last year, for over 12 years. "With Felix, we’re very close," Diallo said, as quoted by ATPTour.com. "We’ve known each other since I was 10 or 11. I even trained at his dad’s house for a couple of years, so we’ve got a good relationship. With Denis [Shapovalov], we met during the 2022 Davis Cup — when we won it — so I always keep up with the Canadian guys. It’s a special bond, not that many of us, but a really good group."
Two years ago, Jan-Lennard Struff made history as the first lucky loser to reach a Masters 1000 final, ultimately falling to Alcaraz in the Madrid final. Now, Diallo is just two wins away from matching that remarkable feat. However, the 23-year-old is staying grounded. "It can be a bit of a shock, but it’s also a reward for all the hard work I’ve put in since college, then playing Challengers," Diallo said, as reported by ATPTour.com. "You dream of these big events. Now that I’m here, I just want to take my chance — you don’t get many — and hold on as tightly as I can."
Diallo’s focus is purely on himself, and he’s keeping the motivation to play in big events and stadiums with great crowds aside. "I just keep doing me," he said, according to ATPTour.com. "Obviously, it’s super motivating to play in these events and in big stadiums with great crowds. But at the end of the day, I am just focusing on my own progress with my team. It’s been a tremendous year so far, and hopefully we can keep it going." With a win over Musetti, Diallo could make history and cement his place as one of the top players in the world. As ATPTour.com reports, only time will tell if Diallo’s lucky loser story will have a fairy-tale ending.
