Draper rues missed opportunity after Bublik loss
Paris, June 3 (UNI) Britain's Jack Draper said it feels like a "missed opportunity" to reach the French Open quarter-finals after a surprise defeat by world number 62 Alexander Bublik.
The 23-year-old was given a reality check as Bublik, the second-lowest ranked player left in the draw, claimed an inspired 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 win on Monday.
World number five Draper lost his way as the maverick Kazakh produced one of the finest displays of his career.
"It's a really tough loss to take," said Draper, who had never won a French Open match before this year.
"Even though I've come up quickly this year and got myself to a high ranking, it's been a steep learning curve for me.
"I had an opportunity today and I missed my opportunity."
The British number one was largely expected to continue his sharp rise on the clay and tee up a potential quarter-final against top seed Jannik Sinner, who later won his last-16 match against
Andrey Rublev, according to a BBC news.
However, Bublik unleashed an array of spectacular shot-making - using the drop-shot to devastating effect in particular - on his way to a superb victory.
It is Draper's worst defeat by ranking since his first-round exit at Roland Garros last year.
A tense finish saw 27-year-old Bublik spurn one match point - and save five break points - before eventually getting over the line.
"Sometimes in life there is only one chance and today, I think it was mine," said Bublik, who was ranked as high as 17th in 2024.
"I couldn't let it slip. I think it is the best moment of my life."
Draper's loss ended British interest in singles after Cameron Norrie was beaten by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
UNI BM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
Novak Djokovic becomes oldest French Open semi-finalist in nearly six decades after beating Alexander Zverev
Novak Djokovic kept his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam triumph alive at the ongoing French Open with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev in their quarter-final meeting on Wednesday. read more Novak Djokovic became the second-oldest player to reach the semi-finals of the French Open following his victory over Alexander Zverev. Reuters Novak Djokovic kept his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam triumph alive after recovering from a set down in his French Open quarter-final meeting with Alexander Zverev, defeating the German 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4. The victory over the the world No 3 in the game that lasted three hours and 17 minutes helped the 38-year-old become the oldest semi-finalist at the French Open in 57 years and the second-oldest in the Open Era. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD American tennis player Ricardo 'Pancho' González was slightly older at 40 years old when he had defeated Australia's Roy Emerson 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4 to advance to the Roland Garros semi-finals. He would go on to lose to the legendary Rod Laver the very next game to bow out in the semi-finals. POV: You're sitting court-side as Novak Djokovic becomes the oldest man to reach a #RolandGarros semi-final since 1968! 🤩 — TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 5, 2025 Djokovic registers 101st victory at Roland Garros Wednesday's victory over Zverev, which setup a semi-final clash with world No 1 Jannik Sinner, was also Djokovic's 101st victory at Roland Garros, the venue where he had fulfilled his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal in the Paris Games last year. Former world number one Djokovic is just two matches away from becoming the first player, male or female, to win 25 Grand Slam singles trophies. Earlier on Wednesday Sinner booked his spot in the last four with a straight-sets win over Kazakh Alexander Bublik. 'Obviously there was a lot of tension, pressure but it is normal when you play against Zverev, one of the best in the world, in the last five-six years,' Djokovic said in a post-match interview. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'My game is based on a lot of running. I am 38 years old, it is not easy to keep running like that but, okay, it works.' 'A match like the one this evening is the biggest reason why I continue playing and competing at this level,' he said. Zverev, last year's finalist who is still searching for a maiden Grand Slam title, started out strongly and broke Djokovic in the very first game. Attempting to join the Serb, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as the only men in the Open Era to reach French Open semi-finals in five consecutive years, the German held on to that advantage to earn the first set. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Knowing he could not match his 28-year-old opponent for fitness, Djokovic tried to keep the rallies as short as possible, playing more and more drop shots – 35 in total – to force the tall Zverev to the net. Djokovic broke his opponent at 2-1 in the second set and was quickly 4-1 up before Zverev had any time to react. He secured the second set with yet another drop shot. The veteran then broke Zverev twice more to bag the third set with his opponent running out of steam, lacking accuracy and having no clear plan B. Another break at the very start of the fourth set put Djokovic 2-0 up and firmly on the winning track before he wrapped it up on his fifth match point to reach a record-extending 51st Grand Slam semi-final. With Reuters inputs
Indian Express
37 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Rishi Sunak says he proposed to Akshata Murty in Kannada despite not knowing the language: ‘Wanted to honour her roots'
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has revealed that he proposed to his wife, Akshata Murty, in Kannada, despite not being fluent in the language. In a candid conversation with The Times of India, Sunak said the gesture was his way of honouring her roots and showing respect for her culture. Akshata is the daughter of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and celebrated author, philanthropist and MP Sudha Murty. Sunak said marrying into the Murty family deepened his appreciation for Kannada culture, wholeheartedly adopting it, and turned him into a passionate supporter of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Sunak and Akshata met while studying at Stanford University and got married in an intimate ceremony in Bengaluru in 2009. The couple now have two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka. 'I'm married into a Bangalore family, so RCB is my team,' Sunak told TOI. He recalled being given an RCB jersey by his in-laws during the wedding, which sparked his long-standing loyalty to the team. 'We went to matches a long time ago and I used to cheer them on in Downing Street,' he said. Like millions of RCB fans, Sunak named Virat Kohli as his favourite cricketer, calling him a 'total legend'. He also revealed that one of his most cherished mementoes is a bat signed by Kohli, gifted to him during his tenure as prime minister by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. This connection to the team became even more special when Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their first-ever IPL trophy after years of close calls and heartbreaks. The championship clash, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, was a thrilling contest where RCB defeated the Punjab Kings by six runs. The victory brought an end to an 18-year-long wait and marked a historic milestone in the team's journey, one that made the moment all the more meaningful for devoted fans like Sunak.
Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Swiatek faces Sabalenka as Boisson eyes 'dream' French Open final
Iga Swiatek puts her bid for a fourth straight French Open title on the line against world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday, before surprise French hero Lois Boisson aims to continue her fairytale run against Coco Gauff in the second semi-final. The biggest rivalry in the current women's game will get its first instalment since last August in Cincinnati when the reigning Roland Garros champion goes up against the top seed. It will be only their second ever meeting at a Grand Slam tournament and their first since a three-set win for Swiatek in the 2022 US Open semi-finals en route to the title. Swiatek holds an 8-4 winning record against Sabalenka, but came into the tournament under a cloud after a disappointing clay-court season and without even a final appearance since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen 12 months ago. But the Pole is on a remarkable 26-match winning streak in the French Open and could become the first woman to win four straight titles at Roland Garros since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago. "I don't know if she elevates my game," she said of Sabalenka. "But for sure our rivalry is pushing both of us, I think, but it's not only about the level of tennis. It's about like everything, how we work, and how professional we are." The pair practised together in the build-up to the tournament, and Sabalenka credits their improving relationship off-court to a dance video they did for TikTok at last year's WTA Finals. Sabalenka has only beaten Swiatek once on clay, in the 2023 Madrid Open final. Their most memorable clash was the 2024 final in the Spanish capital when Swiatek saved three championship points and won in a deciding-set tie-break. "We've had a lot of great battles in the past," Sabalenka said after her quarter-final win over Zheng Qinwen. "I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win." Sabalenka has powered through the draw so far without dropping a set. Swiatek has also been in dominant form, with the exception a battling comeback victory over Elena Rybakina in the fourth round, a performance she said she "needed". World number 361 Boisson is still dreaming of an improbable title on her Grand Slam debut after a memorable quarter-final triumph over rising Russian star Mirra Andreeva. The 22-year-old Boisson missed out on making her first Roland Garros appearance last year after suffering a knee injury shortly before the tournament, but has more than made up for lost time with a stunning run through the draw. She had never played a top-50 opponent before this week, but has now beaten two in the top 10 in third-ranked Jessica Pegula and world number six Andreeva to set up her last-four clash with Gauff. "I think every kid who plays tennis has the dream to win a Slam. More for French players to win Roland Garros, for sure," said Boisson. "So, yeah, it's a dream. For sure I will go for the dream, because my dream is to win it, not to be in the semi-final." Andreeva was overwhelmed by the atmosphere on Court Philippe Chatrier as she lost the last six games of her quarter-final against Boisson. But Gauff has a plan to try and block out the noise from the partisan home crowd. "I think there are two ways I have done it in the past. Either, A: just pretend they're cheering for you, and B: just using it and not letting that get to you," she said after defeating Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last eight. The American is bidding to reach her second French Open final after a demoralising defeat by Swiatek in the 2022 showpiece. Gauff has since won the US Open, in 2023, and climbed to second in the world. The 21-year-old will be hoping her added experience can help her finally clinch the title at a tournament in which she has reached at least the quarter-finals in five successive years. jc/mw
