Jack Draper beats João Fonseca in straight sets to reach French Open fourth round

The Guardian

3 days ago

A few days on from his unforgettable late-night escape against the oldest player inside the men's top 100, Jack Draper found himself up against the youngest of them all. From the unparalleled defensive capabilities of the 38-year-old Gaël Monfils, Draper examined the 18-year-old João Fonseca's nuclear forehand.
No matter the challenge or conditions, Draper continues to show his ability to adapt to all obstacles in his path. He eased into the fourth round of the French Open for the first time in his career with an utterly devastating performance, by far his best of the tournament so far, dismantling Fonseca 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to advance.
Since he marked his grand slam career with a stellar top 10 victory over Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open in January, the hype surrounding Fonseca has been overwhelming. Along with the massive expectations surrounding his talent, the Brazilian's emergence has reawakened one of the most passionate tennis fanbases in the world. At Roland Garros, where the legendary Gustavo Kuerten triumphed three times, the Brazilian fans were always going to be at their loudest.
Back in March, Draper, the fifth seed in Paris, navigated two memorable events involving Fonseca. He played Fonseca for the first time in their second round match at Indian Wells, winning comfortably. A few weeks later at the Miami Open, the 23-year-old indirectly felt the force of the Brazilian's fanbase. Fonseca had initially been scheduled after Draper, but during the Briton's match it was abruptly moved to a bigger court.
As thousands of booing fans angrily departed the court, Draper's match was briefly suspended: 'I thought the crowd was there to watch me but then when I rocked up on the court they went: 'João Fonseca,' I thought maybe they're not for me after all,' said Draper.
The hype surrounding Fonseca is a little too much, particularly since most young players benefit from developing without so much immediate pressure, but it exists for good reason. He is a precocious, exciting player already blessed with one of the most potent forehands in the game, which he pairs with a solid serve, improving athleticism and daredevil shotmaking.
It is solely a reflection of Draper's complete game and relentless focus that Fonseca looked so pedestrian in this match. Fully conscious of the danger presented by a fearless youngster, Draper was sharp from the beginning. He opened up by returning consistently and with excellent depth, defending brilliantly as he repeatedly soaked up Fonseca's first strike. He set the tone with an early comfortable break in Fonseca's second service game.
In the aftermath of his victory on Thursday night in painfully slow night conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Draper noted that the balls were so heavy it felt like he was playing with depressurised orange balls for children. He was uncomfortable until the end. Despite the humidity, the warmer daytime conditions provided a far more optimal platform for him to show just how effective his game can be on these courts.
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As he rolled through the first set, Draper's forehand was devastating. His brutal weight of shot – the combined force of his extreme topspin and immense ball speed – and unrelenting depth completely smothered the Brazilian, making Fonseca's ball look lightweight by comparison. Draper only continued to grow in confidence behind his forehand and by the second set he was striking it with total freedom and changing directions down the line at will. Under constant pressure from Draper's forehand and unable to break through the Briton's defence, Fonseca's forehand error count piled up as he aimed closer and closer to the lines.
This was a spectacular, complete performance from an increasingly complete player: Draper also served brilliantly, maintaining his pressure on Fonseca's service games by rolling through his own, and he returned with immaculate consistency and depth. As he continued to push Fonseca far behind the baseline with the force of his forehand, he peppered his opponent with a stream of well-timed drop shots. Having arrived in Paris still seeking his first victory at Roland Garros, Draper heads into the second week looking stronger than he has ever been.