NEXT Gen ATP Finals hope Jack Draper has stormed into the third round of the US Open, leaving sixth seed Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassme in his way. The unseeded Brit who is enjoying a breakout year having won 13 of his 15 career matches and reached 53rd in the world, downed Auger-Aliassime in straight sets, despite not always being perfectly clean. In a match that lasted two hours and 28 minutes, Draper won 6-4 6-4 6-4 to book his place in the Round of 32.
Draper started the match off in style, breaking Auger-Alissame in the first game, then held serve for the remainder of the set to take an early 6-4 lead. After being 3-3 in the second set, Draper again pounced on an opportunity against the Canadian’s serve to break, then hold and eventually take that set 6-4.
After an even start to the third set, Draper created a couple more break points in the fifth game to break Auger-Aliassime for the third time, and effectively put the cue in the rack for the remaining two return games. Draper’s service game was too strong for the Canadian, and while Auger-Aliassime served four aces and won both of his last service games to love, it would not be enough.
“Obviously Felix is an incredibly tough opponent, that’s why he’s at the top of the game,” Draper said post-match. “I played a really good match today, a special occasion out here.”
The Briton saved all three break points against his serve, whilst breaking once in each set from 10 chances, making the most of the Auger-Aliassime second serve (48 per cent). Draper served at a poor 50 per cent clip, but only dropped seven points (84 per cent) off his first serve, and ran at 59 per cent off his second. He also had nine aces and 20 additional winners for only 17 unforced errors, while Auger-Aliassime had 13 aces and five double faults amongst 27 winners but 41 unforced errors.
“I’ve put in a lot of hard work the last few years,” Draper said having risen to 46th in the world after the win. “I’ve been unfortunate with injuries at a young age, I grew very quickly. “I always had the tennis abilities, it’s been about staying fit and staying on court.”
Draper will now take on 27th seeded Russian Karen Khachanov in the third round, joining compatriot Andy Murray in the Round of 16. Aside from Draper’s win, most of the results went to plan, though fifth seed Casper Ruud came back from dropping the first set in a tiebreaker to beat Dutch grass star Tim van Rijthoven in four sets.
It was not a great day for the Dutch, with last year’s US Open bolter Botic Van de Zandschulp going down in four sets to Frenchman Corentin Moutet. Australian duo Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios moved through in four sets, while their compatriot Jordan Thompson was up two sets to one against Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan, before the South American stepped up and won the last two sets to close out the match.
From the local hopes, both Tommy Paul and J.J. Wolf advanced through to the third round, with Paul’s five-set come-from-behind victory at the expense of compatriot Sebastian Korda. Argentina’s Pedro Cachin won three games in the first two sets against youngster Brandon Holt, before somehow destroying him in the third set and having to win in two tiebreakers to earn a spot in the Round of 32. China’s Yibing Wu, Italian Matteo Berrettini, Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta and top seed Russian Daniil Medvedev also advanced through to the next round of Flushing Meadows.
US OPEN MEN’S SINGLES RESULTS: ROUND OF 64
[1] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) defeated Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 6-2 7-5 6-3
[5] Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated Tim van Rijthoven (NED) 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-4
Jack Draper (GBR) defeated [6] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 6-4 6-4 6-4
[12] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6
[13] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated Hugo Grenier (FRA) 2-6 6-1 7-6 7-6
[18] Alex de Minaur (AUS) defeated Cristian Garin (CHI) 6-3 6-0 4-6 6-2
Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated [21] Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED) 6-4 1-6 6-2 6-4
[23] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) defeated Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 7-6 6-4 4-6 6-4
[27] Karen Khachanov (RUS) defeated Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-4
[29] Tommy Paul (USA) defeated Sebastian Korda (USA) 6-0 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-4
Andy Murray (GBR) defeated Emilio Nava (USA) 5-7 6-3 6-1 6-0
J.J. Wolf (USA) defeated Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-3
Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) defeated Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3 2-6 3-6 6-4 6-3
Pedro Cachin (ARG) defeated Brandon Holt (USA) 1-6 2-6 6-1 7-6 7-6
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) defeated Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 7-6 5-7 3-6 6-0 7-6
Yibing Wu (CHN) defeated Nuno Borges (POR) 6-7 7-6 4-6 6-4 6-4
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