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6 hours ago
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Throughout the early days of Jack Draper’s young career, questions around his physical preparedness for his chosen sport followed him wherever he went. As he continually struggled with injuries and endurance issues alike, Draper never failed to hear from those who believe he did not work hard enough, carry himself with sufficient professionalism or care enough about his craft.
Those days are over. Finito. For the third straight day in Melbourne Park, despite his stunted preparation and the rust that caked his game, Draper has somehow found a way to drag himself across the finishing line of yet another frantic five-set match he seemed desperate to lose, drawing on his endless reserves of grit and heart in the process.
Despite standing two points from defeat against an inspired opponent lasering outlandish winners from all parts of the court, Draper somehow survived to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career, defeating Aleksandar Vukic of Australia 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) in 3 hours, 58 minutes
Between his three brutal wins in Melbourne this year, each contest decided in five sets, Draper has spent 12 hours, 34 minutes on court. A year after vomiting into a rubbish bin after surviving his first career five-set match in his Australian Open first round match against Marcos Giron, Draper is now 5-1 in tennis’s most brutal format.
With this tremendous victory, Draper has set up one of the most highly anticipated match-ups in the draw. He will next face Carlos Alcaraz, the third seed and reigning champion at the French Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz continued his pursuit of the career grand slam by defeating Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3.
After his pre-season disrupted by a hip injury that forced him off the court, Draper has had to rely on his determination and heart in lieu of his good form. In the process, he broke new ground by twice coming back from the brink of defeat against both Mariano Navone and the home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis to win both matches, the two longest of his career, in five sets. In the latter conquest, Kokkinakis served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set.
Inspired by the great opportunity before him, Vukic opened up the match with a barrage of forehand aggression and pinpoint serving. Draper responded well, playing by far his highest quality stretch of tennis to take the first set. Just as it seemed that Draper had taken control of the match, though, his intensity flatlined. Vukic refused to let up his relentless aggression and he thoroughly outplayed Draper to take the second set and then break serve at 5-5 in set three.
Down 6-5 in the third set, after squandering two break points in the bruising final game, Draper lost his composure as he fell down set point. He demolished his racket, provoking jeers from a crowd that had been restrained until that point. As he seethed in his chair between sets, Draper then gestured to the crowd to keep the abuse coming.
Despite his frustration, Draper bounced back immediately. With time running out he spent the fourth set desperately trying to find a way through. But Vukic had an answer in almost every tense moment, a nuclear forehand winner always around the corner. After saving two set points with two spectacular winners, Vukic forced a tiebreak and he continued to pressure Draper until the end.
At 5-5 in the tiebreak, two points from defeat, Draper elevated his level under suffocating pressure, finally attacking his forehand with confidence and depth as he snatched the final two points to force a fifth set.
After turning the match on its head, Draper initially used the momentum brilliantly, breaking serve to lead 3-1 and then generating four break points on the Australian’s serve for a double break. But he just could not put Vukic away. After surviving the service game, Vukic immediately retrieved the break, dragging Draper all the way to a final set tiebreak. Somehow, Draper found the heart to close out another incredible win.
