Alex de Minaur wins at Barcelona Open, Millman out in Serbia, Storm Sanders falls in Stuttgart

Alex de Minaur has demonstrated his heart for a clay court battle with a see-saw, rain-interrupted triumph over dangerous French cavalier Ugo Humbert in the Barcelona Open.

In Turkey, new Australian number one Ajla Tomljanovic reached the Istanbul Tennis Championship round of 16 after a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 win over her compatriot, Jaimee Fourlis.

But there was less success elsewhere for the Aussies as John Millman was knocked out of the Serbia Open and Storm Sanders fell in Stuttgart.

With the clay court season getting into full swing, Australian number one de Minaur demonstrated encouraging signs for his 2022 campaign on the surface at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

The Sydneysider, ranked number 25 in the world, survived a blistering fightback from his fellow 23-year-old to prevail 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

De Minaur had beaten the 46th-ranked Humbert in the ATP Cup earlier in the year and looked to be powering to a straight sets triumph when the Frenchman broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set.

However, the flamboyant left-hander then went for broke, winning six straight games to take the second set and open up a 2-0 advantage in the decider.

De Minaur rallied to swing the momentum back in his favour, to take the next five games, only for the rain to intervene just as he was about to serve for the match at 5-3.

The 22-minute delay looked to have unsettled the Australian as he returned to swiftly face a break point, but he got the job done on his first match point, prevailing after nearly two and a quarter hours.

It set up a last-16 meeting for de Minaur with South African world number 40 Lloyd Harris, who earned a notable victory over Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4.

In Belgrade, hardened by his three-set win over the