British star Jack Draper secures a strong opening victory in Paris following his Vienna title win, setting up a second-round clash with American Taylor Fritz.
Jack Draper, the rising British tennis star, has once again showcased his powerful play, advancing to the second round of the Paris Masters with a commanding straight-set victory over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic. Draper, fresh off the biggest win of his career in Vienna, defeated Lehecka 7-5, 6-2 in a match lasting just over an hour.
The 22-year-old left-hander began with a tightly contested first set, holding serve until a key break in the 11th game gave him the lead. From there, Draper’s momentum only grew; he went on to control the second set, reeling off five consecutive games to seal his spot in the next round. This victory adds to a remarkable season for Draper, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open in September and climbed to a career-high ranking of 15th in the world.
With Draper now set to face American fifth seed Taylor Fritz in the second round, excitement is building around the British number one’s run of form. His newfound ranking reflects the promise he’s shown on the international stage, and a win against Fritz could place him among the serious contenders for the Paris Masters title.
Elsewhere in the tournament, second seed Carlos Alcaraz made quick work of Chilean Nicolas Jarry, advancing to the third round with a 7-5, 6-1 victory. Alcaraz, one of the tournament favourites, will take on either France’s Ugo Humbert or American Marcos Giron in the last 16. Meanwhile, Australia’s Alex de Minaur strengthened his bid to qualify for the ATP Finals, defeating Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-5, 6-1 in his opener. De Minaur now has a shot at replacing Russia’s Andrey Rublev for the final spot in the ATP Finals if he reaches the quarter-finals in Paris. His next challenge will be Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
In a surprising early exit, Rublev, seeded sixth, was eliminated in his first match by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, who edged him out in two tense tie-break sets, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5). This defeat dents Rublev’s chances for an easy ATP Finals qualification and leaves him relying on results elsewhere in the tournament.
Jack Draper’s recent achievements have certainly raised expectations, and fans are eager to see how he matches up against the top players. His run in Paris follows a tremendous win at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, where he defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, marking his first major title. Draper’s performance in Vienna underscored his ability to take on and outmanoeuvre more experienced opponents, cementing his status as a serious contender in the ATP circuit.
Yet, it wasn’t all celebratory news in the lead-up to the second round of the Paris Masters. Italy’s Jannik Sinner, the world number one, had to withdraw due to illness, citing weakness from a virus he contracted shortly after arriving in Paris. Sinner expressed disappointment but acknowledged that he wasn’t in a condition to compete, adding that he hoped to recover in time for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin from 13-20 November.
For Draper, Wednesday’s match against Fritz represents an opportunity to continue his ascent and solidify his position among the tennis elite. Draper’s recent form and his title win have bolstered his confidence, and a win against the fifth-seeded American would likely propel him further into the spotlight as one of the emerging stars in men’s tennis.
