After a first-round bye, Alex de Minaur advances to the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome with victory over world No.62 Roberto Carballes Baena.
Rome, Italy, 12 May 2024 | Rhys de Deugd
Alex de Minaur kept the singles hopes alive for Australians at the Italian Open in Rome, as he moved into the third round with a convicing victory over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.
De Minaur took on Carballes Baena for the first time in his career, notching up his 24th win of the year and fifth of the clay-court season 6-3 6-2.
In his first match of the tournament, the last remaining Aussie in both singles draws was clinical against the world No.62, as he broke serve six times and won 74 percent of his first-serve points for the match.
The world No.11’s trademark speed around the court was on show as he allowed Carballes Baenajust seven winners, and capitalised by registering 17 of his own.
The win holds the top-ranked Australian in good stead ahead of a third-round test against world No.20 Felix Auger-Aliassime.
In what will be their third meeting on tour, De Minaur is looking for his first win over the Canadian, who is coming off a career-best ATP Masters 1000 result in Madrid where he made the final.
A win in the third round will tie De Minaur’s best run in Rome from 2022.
Speed demon in FULL EFFECT 💨
😈 @alexdeminaur @InteBNLdItalia | #IBI24 pic.twitter.com/m0YO1eLo7J
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 11, 2024
Aussies in action – Rome
RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
Clara Tauson (DEN) d Daria Saville (AUS) 6-2 6-3
> VIEW: Italian Open women’s singles draw
Men’s singles, first round
Jaume Munar (ESP) d Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 6-4 7-5
Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) d Chris O’Connell (AUS) 6-7(7) 5-0 (ret.)
[Q] Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) d Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-3 6-2
Men’s singles, second round
[9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) d Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 6-3 6-2
[Q] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) d [32] Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-1 6-3
[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) d Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-0 6-4
> VIEW: Italian Open men’s singles draw
Men’s doubles, first round
Mate Pavic (CRO)/Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) d [Alt] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Cristian Rodriguez (COL) 6-4 6-2
Simone Bolelli (ITA)/Andrea Vavassori (ITA) d [Alt] John Peers (AUS)/Christopher Eubanks (USA) 7-6(4) 6-3
[6] Tim Puetz (GER)/ Kevin Krawietz (GER) d Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Alexei Popyrin (AUS)
[3] Rajeev Ram (USA)/Joe Salisbury (GBR) d…
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