By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday April 11, 2025
Alex de Minaur signed the camera “Clay Dog” after his win over Grigor Dimitrov on Friday in Monte-Carlo.
Perhaps he should have signed “No Mercy.”
The Aussie drubbed the Bulgarian 6-0, 6-0 and dropped just 15 points across the 45 minute thrashing. It was De Minaur's first double bagel victory of his career, as he became the first Aussie to reach the semifinals in Monte-Carlo since 1979.
"It's crazy," he said on court after the match. "As the years have gone by I have grown to understand the things I can do well on this surface to become a tougher opponent."
By winning in spotless fashion, De Minaur became the first player in Masters 1000 history to win by a double bagel scoreline in a match that took place in the quarterfinals or beyond.
Dimitrov won just 8 of 32 points on serve, and he managed to win just seven return points as he fell to 2-4 against De Minaur. The 33-year-old was bidding to become the sixth oldest semifinalist in Monte-Carlo history.
Dimitrov isn’t the only player having trouble winning games against 10th-ranked De Minaur. The Aussie has dropped just seven games across his last six sets at Monte-Carlo.
De Minaur, who leads all ATP players with 20 wins in 2025, will face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals.