Jack Draper reveals key to dominant Joao Fonseca win and French Open run
On the hottest day of this year's French Open, Jack Draper used the conditions to his advantage as he secured his most impressive victory yet at Roland Garros. A year or so ago, the British No 1 have have wilted under temperatures that touched 30c in Paris, but even as Draper wrapped ice around his neck and removed his shirt in an effort to cool down during the changeovers, there was no danger of him fading as he raced to a straight-sets win over Joao Fonseca.
Fonseca is a rising star from Brazil, with the 18-year-old carrying an explosive forehand despite his slight build and baby face. But Fonseca was unable to use his exciting weapons and all-court game. Draper was on him from the start, serving superbly and overpowering Fonseca with his heavy top-spin forehand that kicked viciously off the clay.
Draper finished the 6-4 6-2 6-2 win with 32 winners to 20 unforced errors while winning 93 per cent of his first-serve points. Draper's second serve proved too much for Fonseca to handle, too, with the left-hander's reverse angles and spin ensuring the Brazilian could not get into his service games. Draper's victory was as straight-forward as his 6-4 6-0 win against Fonseca at Indian Wells this year. 'The first set was really key,' Draper said. 'I got on top of him and used my forehand really well.'
Fonseca only had two break-point opportunities in the match and they both came as Draper looked to serve out the second set at 5-4. It could have been a potential turning point, but Fonseca rushed his forehand and Draper saved the second with the ace. 'I think today it was maybe a bit of experience,' Draper said. And right now perhaps only Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz are playing as well as him.
Despite Draper not winning a match at the French Open until the start of this week, his game on the clay is getting better with each passing match and the hot conditions appeared to take his serve and forehand to another level.
"My first two rounds I played at night,' Draper explained. 'Playing against Gael [Monfils] the other night, I didn't think I could hit the ball past him. It was so cold and I couldn't really do much. But today the ball was getting up more and the faster conditions definitely suit me. Either way I will be ready for my next round."
Either way, the fifth seed is turning into a force and he will play the unpredictable maverick Alexander Bublik on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
35 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bruce Springsteen fan on when he told singer to do Liverpool gig
A Bruce Springsteen superfan who told the music legend he should play in Liverpool says he is looking forward to the star's first performances in the city this Beard, 72, says he has spent "many, many, many thousands of pounds" travelling the world to watch the singer perform at about 75 gigs since meeting the star at a US book-signing in 2016, he urged him to consider playing in his home city of Liverpool. He also encouraged Springsteen's E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt at two meetings, with the latter having since performed at the city's Cavern Beard has now booked tickets for both of Springsteen's concerts at Anfield stadium on Wednesday and Saturday. Mr Beard says he became "hooked" on the star's rock music, after first hearing it in 1976. He said he found the music "resonates" because of "the story in the songs - his truthfulness, the power, the rock and roll".Along with his wife Eileen, he watched all of Springsteen's three gigs in Manchester last that's on top of about 30 concerts across North America – including in Nashville and Memphis – plus many more in Beard says he has been a big music fan since the age of 10, when he would listen to the BBC radio show Pick of the Pops with his admired The Beatles and US singer Roy Orbison but admits to initially being "turned off by the hype" around New Jersey singer-songwriter Springsteen, who first released an album in a friend encouraged him to listen to the songs Born to Run and Thunder Road in 1976, and Mr Beard recalls he "bought all three albums the next day". Mr Beard first saw Springsteen perform at Wembley in 1981 and has since travelled with his wife to watch his concerts in the US, Canada and says that, although Eileen was a music fan when they married in 1978, "she wasn't that bothered" about the singer until seeing him perform the song Point Blank at a gig and it was "like a light went on"."She became as much a fan as me."The couple, who live in Formby, retired from their civil service careers 10 years ago and do not have children, so instead they have used some of their disposable income on travelling and Beard says he "wouldn't like to have a guess" at how much they have spent, adding: "It'd probably be frightening… to some people it'll be incomprehensible."But the concerts became a comfort after he suffered symptoms due to a form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, which Springsteen's wife and bandmate Patti Scialfa was also diagnosed with in 2018. Following chemotherapy treatment, a nurse recommended the couple to travel and coincidentally Springsteen soon announced some gigs after the lockdowns of the coronavirus booked a trip to see him in the US, which Mr Beard, who is in remission, said was "such a fantastic thing to do and really helped us mentally"."The fact that when you go see him, you're just lost - time stands still," he says."It's just incredible the amount of work he's put into his shows."He says the couple's passion for music makes them "feel young"."We're just enthusiastic about music and getting ourselves the moment." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Chester Zoo sees return of rare bat-eared foxes after 30 years
A zoo has welcomed two rare bat-eared foxes, 30 years on from when the animal was last two African foxes, which are known for their 13cm (five inches) tall ears, are said to be settling in well at Chester Maasai and Malindi will live alongside 12 porcupines in the zoo's new Heart of Africa habitat and will play a part in the zoo's conservation White, Chester Zoo's team manager, said: "It's incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus and they're a wonderful addition to our new Heart of Africa habitat." "They're a truly unique and fascinating species with some amazing adaptations," he said their "enormous ears aren't just for show – they act like satellite dishes and help the foxes detect the tiniest of movements coming from insects beneath the ground, allowing them to detect prey with pinpoint accuracy". Zoo conservationists brought the sisters over to Chester from a zoo in Paris, France, with one of the sisters set to be introduced to a male fox as part of efforts to safeguard the little-known foxes were given their name due to their distinctive oversized ears and they are found in the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa. In the wild, bat-eared foxes face increasing threats, largely due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, human encroachment and hunting, a zoo spokesperson said. David White said that like many species found in the African savannah, bat-eared foxes were under threat as their habitat became more fragmented as a result of human activity."That's why our teams are on the ground in several national parks across Kenya and Uganda safeguarding some of the continent's rarest species like northern giraffe, giant pangolins, mountain bongo and Eastern black rhino," he said. "By protecting these species and their habitats we're also helping many of Africa's little known species like bat-eared foxes, that share the same habitats, to go on to thrive once again." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Reuters
39 minutes ago
- Reuters
Dior picks Jonathan Anderson as creative director, FT reports
June 2 (Reuters) - Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson has been named creative director of women's, men's and haute couture collections of Dior, replacing Maria Grazia Chiuri who held the role for almost a decade, the Financial Times reported on Monday. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. Chiuri left her job as creative director of Dior women's collections, the luxury fashion brand owned by LVMH ( opens new tab said on May, with Dior menswear designer Anderson widely tipped to take a bigger role.
