Alex de Minaur's alarming form slump continued with a stunning defeat to Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar in the second round of the Madrid Open. The Australian world No. 8 was outclassed 6-3 6-1 by the 19-year-old wildcard in just 75 minutes, marking his sixth loss in his last ten matches.
Dominant Display by Jodar
Jodar, a Madrid local, showcased his immense potential by breaking de Minaur's serve six times and slamming 15 winners past the Australian. De Minaur, by contrast, managed only two winners and committed 26 unforced errors. The victory was Jodar's first over a top-10 opponent, and he celebrated emotionally on court.
De Minaur's Struggles Continue
Since winning the Rotterdam Open in February, de Minaur has won just four of ten matches. He briefly reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6 but has since slipped to No. 8. The loss in Madrid comes just a month before the French Open, raising concerns about his form heading into the clay-court major.
The defeat leaves Adam Walton as the only Australian remaining in the Madrid Open draws. Walton faces 13th seed Karen Khachanov on Saturday.
Jodar's Rising Star
Rafael Jodar, who has surged from world No. 687 to No. 42 in the past year, credited the home crowd for his performance. "It was crazy. Crazy feelings. I'm super happy to get my second win here in Madrid at my home tournament," he said. Jodar will next face Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in a battle of the two youngest players in the top 100.
Jodar joins Fonseca as only the second man born in 2006 or later to record a top-10 win. He recently won his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech and reached the semi-finals in Barcelona.
Other Matches
Earlier, top seed Jannik Sinner survived a scare against French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi, losing the first set in a tiebreak before winning 6-7 (6-8) 6-1 6-4. Sinner watched Jodar's match from courtside, acknowledging the threat posed by the teenager.
Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, announced his withdrawal from the French Open due to a wrist injury, adding to the drama of the tournament.
