Jack Draper faced a straight-sets defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, ending his journey at the Italian Open in the quarter-finals.
The British No. 1 aimed to climb to fifth in the ATP rankings but was unable to do so, as Alcaraz successfully saved six out of eight break points to move forward in the tournament.
In their previous encounter, Draper emerged victorious in the semi-finals at Indian Wells in March, which led to him claiming his first Masters 1000 title. He started strong in this match, breaking Alcaraz’s serve to take a 4-2 lead in the first set after a double fault from the Spaniard.
However, after losing his serve at 5-4, Draper missed two chances to break back and save the set. He showed promise in the second set, applying pressure on Alcaraz’s serve but again squandered two break points during a crucial game, which shifted the momentum in favor of his opponent.
Seeking his first clay title on the ATP tour, Draper seemed fatigued, both mentally and physically, post his previous week’s effort that took him to the Madrid Open final.
With this win, Alcaraz leads their head-to-head record at 4-2 and moves on to the semi-finals for the first time in Rome, where he will meet either Lorenzo Musetti from Italy or Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
Draper’s Reflection and Alcaraz’s Approach
Jack Draper commented to Sky Sports Tennis: “Carlos was better tactically and emotionally than I was. I feel very frustrated with my performance today. I could have approached several aspects differently and I think my mindset was too negative. Much of this can be attributed to the amount of tennis I’ve played, but top players can exploit weaknesses, and Carlos deserved his win. I need to continue working on my physicality. Clay matches feel like a chess game, and I still have much to learn.”
Alcaraz’s response: “The key was not to dwell on being ahead or behind. I focused on playing aggressively, hitting good shots, and making use of drop shots and net approaches. This strategy helped me maintain a high rhythm throughout the match, ensuring I wasn’t on the defensive during rallies. I’m proud of how I handled the match.”
