Alex de Minaur is savouring a "once in a lifetime" triumph after beating the king of clay Rafael Nadal on what may well have been the great man's final appearance on his own court at the Barcelona Open.
Nadal wasn't at his sharpest on his tentative return to action after injury in only his second tournament in 15 months, but nothing should detract from how de Minaur outplayed the 12-time champion on the Pista Rafa Nadal at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona on Wednesday.
De Minaur was rapid, ruthless and relentless in his 7-5 6-1 win and even if this, of course, wasn't the all-conquering Nadal of old, the 37-year-old is still a hell of a force on the red clay and Australia's No.1 played a supreme match, consigning the Spanish colossus to death by drop shot.
