The young Briton Jack Draper made a name for himself at the US Open. The Sutton native did not lose a set en route to his first Major semi-final, playing well on serve and return and breaking new ground. The 25th seed took down five opponents in straight sets, achieving his best result at Majors at 22 and arranging the clash against world no.
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1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian proved an unpassable obstacle, earning a 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 victory in three hours and three minutes, ending the Briton's campaign. Jack struggled physically in harsh conditions, vomiting in the second set but remaining competitive in the opening two sets.
The top seed claimed the crucial points, forging a massive advantage and leaving his opponent behind from 2-2 in set number three. The lower-ranked player never contemplated retirement, not in his first Major semi-final! He fought until the end, dropping the final four games and leaving New York as a top-20 player.
The Briton had scary moments, and the Italian also experienced one in the second set.
World no. 1 fell on his left hand while chasing a ball in an extended rally, hurting it a bit and placing ice after the match.
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Draper served at 49% and sprayed ten double faults. He dropped 43% of the points behind the initial shot and suffered four breaks from 11 opportunities presented to his opponent. Jannik stood firm behind the first and second serve, losing only 23 points in his games and getting broken once in the opener.
The Australian Open champion landed 43 winners and 34 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and moving into the title clash. A left-hander came from 0-30 in the first game of the encounter and closed it with a service winner.
The top seed grabbed the second game with an ace, locking the result at 1-1. Jack fired a powerful serve in the fifth game for a hold at love, and Jannik mirrored that with a forehand winner in the next one for 3-3 after 21 minutes.
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World no. 1 made a push on the return in the seventh game, generating a break chance with a return winner.
Jack Draper achieved a career-best result at the US Open.
The Briton sprayed a forehand error, losing serve and sending his opponent 4-3 in front.
Instead of building on that, the Italian played a loose service game, facing three break points and missing a forehand on the third, bringing his opponent back to 4-4. Draper stood two points away from taking the set in the tenth game before Sinner brought it home for 5-5 and more drama.
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The 25th seed could not stand the pressure in the 11th game, squandering game points and playing against three break points. Jack hit a double fault on the last, falling 6-5 behind and experiencing a massive setback. World no.
1 served for the opener in game 12 and held at love with a service winner, wrapping up the first part of the encounter and gaining a boost. The Briton made a shaky start to the second set, playing against two break points and denying them to avoid an early setback.
The Italian hit a double fault in the second game, facing a break point and saving it after a terrible forehand from his opponent.
A left-hander saved another break point in the third game with a crafty volley winner before struggling for the fourth straight service game at 2-2.
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Draper saved a break point with a service winner and held, remaining on the positive side. The Briton reached a couple of deuces on the return in the eighth game and served well at 4-4 and 5-5, staying competitive despite physical issues.
Sinner stayed focused and fired a forehand winner in the 12th game, introducing a tie break. The Italian started it with two forehand winners and landed a powerful serve for 3-0.
A left-hander lost another point on serve to fall further behind, allowing his rival to clinch a breaker 7-3 with an unreturned serve, forging two sets to love advantage after two hours and 25 minutes.
World no. 1 missed a break point in the second game of the second set but left it behind, providing fine serves in games three and five. Jack stayed competitive until 2-2 before losing ground. He got broken in the sixth game following Jannik's backhand down the line winner.
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The top seed held at love in the seventh game with an ace and extended the next one. Draper wasted game points and faced a match point after Sinner's forehand down the line winner. World no. 1 sealed the deal with a return winner, moving over the top and sending world no.
25 packing. "I was world no. 120 a year ago. Now, I'm a top-20 player, breaking new barriers. Jannik and I played a very physical match. He is world no. 1 and brings different intensity. It's a step up in comparison to my other rivals.
It was a big occasion for me, and the nerves showed up. There was no way I would retire in a Major semi-final. It probably looked differently on TV or from the courtside, but I gave everything in the third set, as always. I had no physical issues before the match, but I tend to be anxious, especially in matches like this. I kicked off the encounter without problems, but they built up as it progressed," Jack Draper said.
