Tsitsipas sends Aussie home in Barcelona

Alex de Minaur has been knocked out of the Barcelona Open by on-song Stefanos Tsitsipas as the Australian singles challenge at the clay court event came to an end.

The Australian No.1 lost 7-5 6-3 in one hour 24 minutes on Thursday to become the latest player to suffer at the hands of Greek star, who has now won 13 consecutive sets in a brilliant start to the European clay court season.

But the Greek continued the excellent form that saw him lift the Monte Carlo Masters title only last week.

De Minaur played an aggressive game and took the fight to Tsitsipas but the Greek swooped to earn the only break at the end of a tight first set that lasted 44 minutes.

READ MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas: “Aussie Greeks are the proudest people I know.”