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Jack Draper underscored the resilience of British tennis following an impressive showing at the Madrid Open, where he was joined in the last 32 by fellow players Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie.
The fifth-seeded Draper showcased his skills by defeating the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor, currently ranked 34th in the world, with a decisive score of 6-3, 6-4. His victory came after both Fearnley and Norrie also triumphed over seeded competitors.
Fearnley, now positioned at 68 in the world rankings, achieved a remarkable milestone by overcoming a top-20 opponent for the first time. After initially dropping the first set against 19th seed Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic, he clawed back to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
In the next round, Fearnley is set to face Grigor Dimitrov, a former Grand Slam semi-finalist and the world number three, who is seeded 15th in the tournament.
Norrie, who has improved his rank to 91, continued his strong performance in Madrid with a turnaround victory against Czech player Jiri Lehecka, seeded 26th, winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. This success propels him into a matchup with Canadian player Gabriel Diallo, who entered as a lucky loser.
“Cam obviously had an injury last year, so seeing him come back strong is fantastic,” Draper remarked in an interview with Sky Sports. “And Jacob, being my age, is an incredible talent. The British audience may not know much about him yet, but I believe he has the potential to become one of the top players in the sport.”
He added, “With Cam also showing promise, it’s an exhilarating time for British tennis and fosters healthy competition among us.”
Draper is looking to bounce back from a previous setback against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo, as he prepares to play against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini from Italy in the next round.
The 23-year-old displayed a commanding performance, breaking serve to lead 4-2 and clinching the first set in just over 30 minutes. An early break in the second set further solidified his dominance, leading to victory in one hour and 15 minutes.
“I’m still adapting to clay, so I anticipated a challenging match,” he noted. “Everything came together nicely, and I hope to continue building my confidence and effectiveness on this surface.”
Meanwhile, Fearnley reflected on his initial struggles in the first set, which he described as some of the “worst tennis” he has played. Ironically, a twisted ankle turned out to be a turning point in his match.
“It actually helped, believe it or not. The doctor administered some painkillers, and I was serving at my best in the final set,” he explained. “My body feels good right now.”
Having played four matches in the tournament, including qualifying rounds, Fearnley expressed optimism: “The more I compete in these high-stakes matches and get accustomed to the environment, the better I perform.”
Source
www.bbc.com