Jack Draper set up a mouth-watering Italian Open quarter-final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz after defeating flamboyant Frenchman Corentin Moutet to progress in Rome.
Draper admitted he was “bamboozled” after being unable to cope with Moutet’s magic in the first set, but he soon composed himself and battled back to claim a 1-6 6-4 6-3 victory on the red clay courts of the Foro Italico.
Alcaraz currently leads their head-to-head 3-2 but Draper claimed a memorable victory in their most recent meeting in the Indian Wells semi-finals in March, going on to win his first Masters 1000 title.
He came close to a second in Madrid last weekend, losing in the final to Casper Ruud, and is now within touching distance again on what had been considered his weakest surface.
Draper appeared to be feeling the pace of his recent run in his third-round win over Vit Kopriva in Rome, smashing his racket angrily on the court despite being a set and a break up.
He kept his calm in a frustrating first set here, with two missed break points at 1-1 heralding a run of five games in a row for Moutet.
The Frenchman is one of the most unconventional players on tour and his use of angles and drop shots combined with brilliant defence drew too many errors from the fifth seed.
Draper has been determined, though, to show the same appetite for consistent success as the leading stars and he dug in at the start of the second set.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Moutet was adamant Draper had not got to a drop shot in time after a controversial point during the match which went to VAR
There was a moment of contention at the beginning of the seventh game when Moutet felt Draper had not got to a drop shot in time but, after consulting the video review system, the umpire eventually gave the point to the world No 5.
Draper finally broke his opponent’s serve in the next game, drawing an angry toss of the racket from Moutet, and, although the Briton was unable to serve out the set, another break sent the contest to a decider.
The 23-year-old seemed to have the momentum but Moutet continued to frustrate Draper until his body began to fail him with cramp setting in.
Moutet, who won a near four-hour battle with Holger Rune on Sunday, took a medical time-out for treatment to his left hamstring after the seventh game and Draper seized his moment to seal the win in two hours and 20 minutes on Super Tennis Arena.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Frenchman Moutet failed with his attempted underarm serve the first time but got it right at the second attempt during his clash with Draper…
Draper: I felt like I was on a string
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Draper reflected on a difficult battle with Frenchman Moutet as he reached the quarter-finals in Rome
“Honestly, I was a bit bamboozled at the start, to be honest. I haven’t played someone like that, well, ever, I don’t think,” Draper admitted to Sky Sports Tennis’ Gigi Salmon.
“I felt like I was on a string, like I didn’t know what I was doing. And then I came out in the second set and just fought for every point and found a way in the end to pick up my level and it was a good one to come through. It feels good.
“You don’t know what’s happening shot to shot. You can almost get sucked into his way of playing. I was all over the court.
“At one point, I was looking at the slides that I’ve been doing in one game. I was literally covering the whole court with drop shots. I don’t know what was going on. I’ve got a dizziness from it. Credit to Corentin. He honestly played a great match. To come through that one was amazing.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Karen Khachanov in Rome
Alcaraz also went the distance, battling fatigue in a 6-3 3-6 7-5 win over Karen Khachanov, and the contest against Draper will be a key marker for the French Open later this month.
Asked about his energy levels, Draper said: “I’m giving myself the best chance to be there every point. I’m in the quarter-finals now and there’s no time to be tired any more. I’ve got to keep on pushing hard every point and I will do that.”
Tale of the Tape
Maclagan: Draper found a way; he’s been a mental rock
Miles Maclagan, speaking on Sky Sports Tennis:
“The winning habit in Jack Draper is strong right now. What a really good effort, what an entertaining match that was. Brilliant play from Moutet early on but Draper, as you have to do if you’re going to have all the success he does, found a way into the match, found a way around it, unsettled, wore down the brilliance from Moutet and has been able to find himself coming out on top. What a good contest that was.”
Draper has been a ‘mental rock’ according to former British tennis star Miles Maclagan
Andy Murray’s former coach also hailed Draper’s mental resilience, saying: “Draper has been a mental rock of late, I expect that to continue. Sometimes when you’re at that level, when you’ve been winning as much as he has, when you’re as tired as he has, sometimes a loss can come as a bit of a relief because you finally get to rest. He doesn’t! He’s got another match to come. And that makes pressing on even more impressive, doesn’t it? Because he doesn’t need it at this stage.
“You’d forgive him, but he’s not going to let himself rest. You’re going to keep building the confidence. And I think that’s excellent because you want that winning habit to continue as long as you can. You want the other players, the guys you’re going to be competing against, to see how tough you are and to realise that when you’re up against them.”
Draper Stats: Indian Wells title and Madrid Open finalist
Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
