VIENNA (AP) — Seven-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz beat Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-4 to win the Vienna Open on Sunday and defeat his opponent for the seventh time in as many meetings.
Alcaraz has beaten the Australian on grass and clay as well as on indoor and outdoor hard courts.
He sealed his latest victory with trademark panache.
Alcaraz drew his opponent to the net with a sliced backhand drop shot. De Minaur retrieved it but Alcaraz lobbed him
with a backhand and, after the Australian volleyed that shot back near the net, clipped a cross-court forehand that landed just in.
The second-seeded Spaniard looked jubilant and cracked a broad smile after clinching his fourth title this year — including the Australian Open for a career Grand Slam — and his 28th overall.
The fifth-seeded De Minaur was looking for his second title of the year.
He advanced to the final of the ATP 500 event with a semifinal win against Alexander Zverev, who goes top of the rankings on Monday. Alcaraz beat Daniil Medvedev in the other semi.
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