Jack Draper vs Aleksandar Vukic: Briton fights back from break down to win first set
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Jack Draper silenced the Aussie fans for the second straight match, as he delivered the latest in a heroic series of performances in Melbourne. Coming back from two sets to one down for the third round in a row, Draper overcame home hope Aleksandar Vukic by a 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 scoreline.
He is not going to win the Australian Open this way, but he has proved to everyone that he is as tough as the local kangaroo jerky. The fans on Margaret Court Arena did their best to cheer their man over the line. At one stage they even resorted to whistling shortly before Draper was about to serve. Here was an underhand tactic, the tennis equivalent of shining a laser in the eyes of the opposition goalkeeper.
But Draper has a solid temperament, and an even sturdier body. For a man whose endurance has been questioned for years, this has been a breakthrough week. Asked if he had a message for those who have doubted his physical fortitude, Draper grinned and replied: “No, not really. It’s the truth. I’m done after two sets most of the time.”.
“I needed to be better at that,” he added, more seriously. “I still have a long way to go, but this is a huge stride forward. Three five-set matches [in a row], it doesn’t happen often. That’s a testament to the work I’ve done and the place I’m in. So very, very proud of that.”.
The quality of Draper’s tennis has not touched the same level that it did in New York, where he reached the semi-finals of the US Open, but the drama has been extraordinary. He has spent around 12-and-a-half hours on the court, relying on heart and guts and sheer determination.
