Jack Draper’s dreams of winning his maiden Wimbledon title came crashing down after a shock second-round exit to veteran Marin Cilic on Court One.
Cilic rolled back the years with a sublime performance, hitting 53 winners in a 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4 victory, but this will be a bitter pill for Draper, who has elevated himself into the world’s top four but is still yet to go beyond the second round at his home Grand Slam.
British fans could have been forgiven for thinking Cilic had retired, with the Croatian back at the All England Club for the first time in four years.
A knee problem that required two operations and kept him out for the better part of two years might have been the end but Cilic was determined to come back.
He returned to the top 100 by winning the second-tier Challenger event in Nottingham last month.
From the start of this contest, Cilic showed he has not lost the metronomic quality of his flat, deep ground strokes.
Draper’s weapons have been the talk of tennis this year but here he found himself on the back foot and scrambling several feet behind the baseline to try to find any semblance of control.
Cilic, who lost to Roger Federer in the 2017 showpiece, three years after winning his only Grand Slam title at the US Open, was returning Draper’s serves back to his feet and seizing any chance he had to drill the ball into the corners.
Draper might have thought he had dodged a bullet when he recovered from 0-40 in the eighth game, letting out a loud shout of ‘come on’, but Cilic played an incredible returning game two games later, ending it with a clean return winner on his first set point.
Draper ‘s match was strangely was not scheduled for Centre Court
Draper was in deep trouble when he dropped serve again, with Cilic winning five games in a row in the second set.
Having been dumped out of the French Open in the fourth round by an inspired Alexander Bublik last month, Draper must have been having deja vu as Cilic continued to play at a level miles above his ranking of 83.
Going into the third set, the British No 1 suddenly decided to go for broke. Leading 2-1, Draper drew gasps from the crowd with a ferociously struck forehand and moved to 0-40.
Cilic saved the first two break points but on the third, after his ball-bouncing habit had finally earned him a time violation, he was unable to cope with a Draper backhand drilled down the line.
It was the breakthrough the 23-year-old desperately needed, and it was swiftly followed by a second break to give Draper and the crowd some much-needed hope.
A mishit Draper forehand gave Cilic two break points in the eighth game but the home hope clung on, a forehand from the Croatian on the second peeping over the net tape but falling back on his side.
Draper was in trouble again two games later, though, and this time a netted forehand gave Cilic match point, which the Croatian took.
Djokovic cruises into 19th Wimbledon third round
Novak Djokovic stayed on course for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title
Novak Djokovic moved one win away from a century of match wins at Wimbledon after dispatching Dan Evans 6-3 6-2 6-0 with ominous efficiency.
“I knew it was going to be a special atmosphere on the court today, a Brit in Britain is never easy to face,” said Djokovic.
“He’s a good quality player that possesses a lot of talent. Sometimes you have these kind of days where everything goes your way.”
Wild card Evans, now 35 and ranked 154 in the world, had won their only previous career meeting, in Monte Carlo four years ago.
But Djokovic quickly upped the ante, with Evans having to save nine break points in the first set before succumbing to the 10th to trail 5-3.
It was relentless from the 38-year-old, who held to love with an ace to clinch a first set in which he dropped just three points on his own serve.
If that set was impressive, the second was almost impeccable. Djokovic hit 12 winners, made just one unforced error, won every point on his first serve and gave Evans only two on his second.
Djokovic, who openly admits this year’s Championships is his best chance of winning a record 25th grand slam title, would not take his foot off Evans’ throat, completing victory in just an hour and 47 minutes.
Pinnington Jones and Fery fall to defeat
Jack Pinnington Jones (right) is consoled by Flavio Cobolli following defeat on Court 18
Jack Pinnington Jones’ Grand Slam debut ended in straight sets after he was overpowered by Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli in round two of Wimbledon.
The 22-year-old rookie – a close friend of British No 1 Jack Draper – was beaten 6-1 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.
The world No 281 departs his maiden major with the consolation of £99,000 in prize money following his first-round victory over Argentina’s Tomas Etcheverry.
Luciano Darderi (right) shakes hands with Arthur Fery after a straight-sets win
British wild card Arthur Fery was unable to mount a comeback as his second-round tie with Luciano Darderi, which started on Wednesday, resumed on Court Two with the Italian two sets up.
Darderi took the third set to secure a 6-4 6-3 6-3 victory in two hours and 21 minutes on Court Two.
Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, reigning champion Barbora Krejcikova and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina also progressed to round three in the women’s event.
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