Jack Draper laid down another marker in his standout season on Saturday at Roland Garros, where he dispatched the supremely talented ATP junior’s star Brazilian Joao Fonseca 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the fourth round in Paris for the first time.
The 23-year-old won 93 per cent of his first-serve points and committed 20 unforced errors to Fonseca’s 38, according to Infosys Stats, to advance after one hour and 49 minutes.
“I played good. The conditions were quite difficult out here. I felt that the first set was really key,” Draper said. “Then I kind of got on top of him, used my forehand well, served well and mentally it was a good performance from me and I am happy to be in the second week here.”
The lefty captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March – defeating Fonseca en route – and then reached the championship match on clay in Madrid. Holding a 25-6 record on the season.
“In my first two rounds I played in the night time and playing against Gael [Monfils] the other night I didn’t feel I could hit the ball past him,” Draper said on the conditions at this year’s Roland Garros. “The guy is so quick and it was so cold. But today the ball was getting up more and the faster conditions help me more.”
Draper will continue the quest for his first major against Alexander Bublik, who beat Portuguese qualifier Henrique Rocha 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.
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