Jack Draper has made a significant mark at the Madrid Open, advancing to the quarter-finals after a dominant performance against American Tommy Paul. The British No. 1, seeded fifth, triumphed with a convincing score of 6-2, 6-2, showcasing his prowess on clay in a match that lasted just one hour and seven minutes.
Draper broke Paul in the third game of the first set and quickly established control, wrapping up the opening set in only 32 minutes. The 23-year-old's powerful forehand was on full display, as he hit 13 of his 20 winners with that shot alone. In contrast, Paul struggled with his game, accumulating 31 unforced errors throughout the match.
“I felt really good out there,” Draper told Sky Sports after the match. “I know Tommy is a great player and I had to be on him from the off. I felt good.” His confidence is palpable, especially considering his previous struggles on clay, where he lost all six matches against top-50 players last season.
In this tournament, Draper has yet to drop a set, having previously defeated Tallon Griekspoor and benefited from a retirement by Matteo Berrettini in the earlier rounds. Now, he is set to face Italy's Matteo Arnaldi in the quarter-finals, a matchup that will mark Draper's first Masters 1000 quarter-final appearance on clay.
Paul, seeded 11th, never found his rhythm and was unable to recover after being broken early. Draper's aggressive play forced Paul into making mistakes, and the American's serve was under constant pressure. Draper capitalized on this, breaking Paul to love in the fifth game of the second set, taking a 3-2 lead.
“It’s a bit of a different level now, obviously. It feels good to keep proving that I’m a good player on this surface,” Draper expressed, highlighting his determination to improve on clay. He is now the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament after several top contenders were eliminated, including Carlos Alcaraz due to injury and other notable players like Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic.
Draper's recent success follows a significant title win at Indian Wells earlier this season, and he is poised to enter the top five in the world rankings if he continues his impressive run in Madrid. His potential rise in the rankings is a testament to his hard work and resilience, especially after a challenging previous season.
Meanwhile, in the women’s draw, defending champion Iga Swiatek had a rollercoaster match against Madison Keys, recovering from a shocking first-set loss to win 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. Swiatek will now face Coco Gauff in the semi-finals, after Gauff defeated Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-1 in her quarter-final match.
“Honestly, it was one of the weirdest matches I’ve ever played,” Swiatek remarked about her performance. “I didn’t feel like [the first set] was that bad. I felt the ball well - it just went super long.” Swiatek’s ability to bounce back after a tough start reflects her competitive spirit and determination as she aims to defend her title.
Elina Svitolina also advanced to the semi-finals, defeating Japan's Moyuka Uchijima 6-2, 6-1. She will face the winner of the match between Aryna Sabalenka and Marta Kostyuk.
The Madrid Open continues to provide thrilling matchups and unexpected results, and as Draper prepares for his quarter-final clash against Arnaldi, fans are eager to see if he can maintain his momentum and secure a place in the semi-finals.
With his impressive form and newfound confidence on clay, Draper is certainly a player to watch as the tournament progresses. Will he continue his rise and challenge for the title? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: Jack Draper is making his mark in Madrid.
