Grigor Dimitrov Suffers Historic Double-Bagel Defeat at Monte-Carlo Masters
In a stunning turn of events, Grigor Dimitrov, the world No. 18, suffered a double-bagel defeat at the hands of Alex de Minaur, losing 6-0 6-0 in just 44 minutes, during the quarter-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters. This historic loss has left commentators reeling, with many expressing their shock at the one-sided nature of the match.
According to a report by the Express, Dimitrov, who was seeking his third semi-final appearance at the Monte-Carlo Masters, was blown off the court by the Australian, who is seeded eighth this week. The Express report highlights that this was the first time De Minaur has ever won a match 6-0 6-0, and he’s now through to his second career semi-final at Masters 1000 level.
The Express report also notes that it was a horrible day at the office for Dimitrov, the No. 15 seed in Monte-Carlo. The Bulgarian had struggled in his matches earlier this week, dropping sets to Monegasque wildcard Valentin Vacherot, and to Alejandro Tabilo. Despite this, Dimitrov knew he needed to raise his level after advancing to the quarter-final, but things didn’t go to plan.
De Minaur dominated the match from start to finish, racing through the first set in just 23 minutes and continuing his demolition job in set two as Dimitrov struggled to win a point and hit only one winner in the entire match. As reported by the Express, the Monte-Carlo Country Club fell silent as the Aussie stepped up to serve for the match, and he sealed a shocking 6-0 6-0 victory with just 44 minutes on the clock.
The Express quotes former world No. 21 Gilles Muller, who said: “Shocked is the right word, to be honest. I’m… shocked and speechless. We all knew that it was going to be a tough match for Dimitrov but we didn’t expect this.”
In contrast, De Minaur was jubilant about his win, writing “clay dog” on the camera lens. As quoted by the Express, De Minaur said: “I did know that. In fact, I know that the only time I ever lost love and love myself was to Tommy Paul in the semi-final of US Open juniors! So yeah, it’s pretty crazy.” De Minaur also highlighted his growth as a player on clay courts, saying: “With the troubles I’ve had at the start of my career on this surface, I didn’t quite understand how to play well on this surface and as the years have gone by, I’ve grown to understand the things I can do well on this surface to be a tough opponent and I’m very happy that I’m playing better and better.”
As reported by the Express, De Minaur will now face either Lorenzo Musetti or three-time Monte-Carlo Masters champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in Saturday’s semi-final. The Australian’s win has set up an exciting clash, and fans will be eagerly anticipating his next match.
The Express report also notes that De Minaur’s strategy on clay courts has been key to his success, saying: “I just need to understand the court – clay-court tennis is not about hitting hard, powerful shots. It’s a lot about opening up the court, using a lot of variety, using angles, using height, different speeds, understanding the balance between being too aggressive and too passive.”
This comprehensive report from the Express provides in-depth analysis of the match and highlights De Minaur’s impressive performance.
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