Alex de Minaur is moving confidently towards winning his first ATP clay-court title in Germany - just days before he's due to launch his French Open bid at Roland Garros.
The Australian No.1 has found some hugely encouraging form with the Paris grand slam only three days away as he powered into the semi-final at the Hamburg Open on Thursday with an emphatic victory over one of the tour's form horses, Luciano Darderi.
Darderi reached the semi-finals at his home Italian Open last week and has moved up to a career-high ranking of No.16, but cut a frustrated figure as de Minaur ran him ragged, winning 6-0 6-3 at the Rothenbaum Stadium.
Darderi seemed distracted from the start, appearing to be unhappy with the court quality, but de Minaur was locked in as he 'bagelled' the Italian in the opening stanza, and reduced him to smashing his racquet into the clay when he failed to convert a break point in the second act.
