Madrid Masters: Jack Draper falls short of famous win over sixth seed Andrey Rublev
- Planet Sport writer
- 3 May 2022
Draper overpowered his Russian opponent in the opening set and led 3-0 in the third but Rublev fought back to claim a 2-6 6-4 7-5 victory.
Jack Draper was unable to secure a major scalp in the second round as he was eliminated by Andrey Rublev at the Madrid Open.
The 20-year-old - who is on the verge of becoming the next British player to break into the top 100 - again showcased his huge potential against sixth seed Rublev - who defeated Novak Djokovic in his home city of Belgrade to win his last tournament.
Draper outfought his Russian opponent to win the first set and took a 3-0 lead in the third and final but could not get to the finish line. Rublev eventually claimed a 2-6 6-4 7-5 victory.
Draper knocked out top-30 player Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round in his first tour-level match on clay and he used his big left-handed serve and forehand to shock Rublev in the early stages.
The young Briton, who took a set off Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, also possesses a fine drop shot and is comfortable at the net, and he battled back from a break down in the second before Rublev moved ahead again.
Draper looked like he might find a way to win when he took the first three games of the decider but, with cramp starting to kick in, it was Rublev who eventually found a way through.
Survive to THRIVE 💪@AndreyRublev97 rallies back to defeat Jack Draper in Madrid, 2-6 6-4 7-5. #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/b9z35AY6Gt
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 3, 2022
