Following his victory in Vienna, Jack Draper continued his winning streak with a 7-5 6-2 triumph over Jiri Lehecka in the Paris Masters first round.
Just days after his triumph in Vienna, the British No 1 showed no signs of fatigue as he advanced to the next round in Paris.
Draper’s swift victory set him up to face Taylor Fritz, the world No 6, in the second round, live on Sky Sports Tennis on Wednesday at approximately 5pm.
Draper claimed the tight first set with just one break of serve in the 11th game, and secured an early break in the second set courtesy of a Lehecka double fault, leading him to a comfortable victory.
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World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz cruised through his tournament opener, beating Nicolas Jarry 7-5 6-1 in straight sets in their second-round match.
Other players like Alex de Minuar (9), Stefanos Tsitsipas (10) and Holger Rune (13) also secured first-round wins, while Andrey Rublev (6) suffered a surprising exit to Francisco Cerundolo in the second round.
Hubert Hurkacz (12) and Frances Tiafoe (14) were also knocked out in the first round, losing to Alex Michelsen and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard respectively.
Karen Khachanov bounced back from his Vienna defeat to Draper with a first-round win, while Ben Shelton booked his spot in the last 32 by beating Corentin Moutet.
Draper and Fritz have met several times before, with Fritz holding the advantage in their matchups this year in Munich and at the Paris Olympics. However, Draper did manage to defeat Fritz at Queen’s Club in 2022.
Draper is determined to improve his ranking, currently at a career-high 15th, in hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin.
Only the top eight players in the world participate in the ATP Finals, with two alternates available in case of injuries. To qualify, Draper will need to continue with strong performances and hope for early exits from his competitors.
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Jack Draper’s Successes in the Past Year
In the past year, Jack Draper has achieved significant milestones in his career. After reaching the ATP Tour final in Sofia last November, he continued to impress in 2024 with strong performances, leading to his victory in Vienna over Karen Khachanov.
Draper’s journey included defeating top-ranked players and making appearances in multiple ATP finals, ultimately leading to his current rank as British No 1.
At Queen’s Club, he showcased his potential by defeating top players like Carlos Alcaraz, and he reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open.
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In Vienna, Draper secured his second ATP title by defeating Karen Khachanov, solidifying his status as a promising contender in the tennis world.
Draper Looks Ahead
Reflecting on his recent accomplishments, Jack Draper expressed his satisfaction with his progress and his ambitions to challenge the top players in the game.
