Jack Draper has confidently moved into the last 16 of the Monte-Carlo Masters, defeating Marcos Giron in straight sets.
The top British player delivered a commanding performance, winning 6-1, 6-1. This victory marks a strong start to his tournament and his ambition for a second ATP 1000 title this season, especially after receiving a bye in the first round.
Draper showcased strong serving and forehand skills, spending only an hour on court to overcome his American opponent.
He asserted control early in the match with two breaks in the first set, which he won in under 30 minutes. The second set followed a similar pattern as Draper increased his pace.
Giron struggled to respond and made more errors as Draper secured another break to close out a comfortable win.
Draper`s next challenge will be against either Tomas Etcheverry or Alejandro Fokina for a place in the quarter-finals. There, he could potentially face fourth seed Casper Ruud, a former finalist at Roland Garros and the US Open.
Reflecting on his performance, Draper mentioned to reporters that adapting to clay conditions can be challenging, especially with later match times. However, he feels he is transitioning well to clay this season.
He added that he has been focusing on utilizing his forehand and refining his game to be effective on clay, acknowledging past struggles on this surface. Draper expressed his hope for a successful run in this year`s tournament.
Draper`s victory occurred after a surprising defeat of top seed Alexander Zverev, the world No. 2, who was defeated by Matteo Berrettini.
Zverev lost 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Berrettini, who rallied from behind to achieve the most significant victory of his career based on opponent ranking, in a tense final set.
Berrettini, ranked 34th globally, initially failed to serve for the match at 5-4 but broke back in the subsequent game, including a forehand winner after an extended 48-shot rally. He then successfully served out the match in his next attempt, concluding the match in two hours and 27 minutes.
In other matches, Stefanos Tsitsipas, a three-time champion, defeated Jordan Thompson of Australia 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Additionally, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, a former world No. 3, defeated Nicolas Jarry of Chile 6-3, 6-4 in a first-round match.
Jack Draper`s Potential Path to the Final
If Draper advances to the semi-finals, he might encounter Carlos Alcaraz, the current French Open and Wimbledon champion, for the third time this season.
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie, the British No. 3, did not qualify for the main draw, losing to Mattia Bellucci in qualifying with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Schedule
Main draw: Sunday April 6 – Sunday April 13
Doubles final: Sunday April 13 (12pm)
Singles final: Sunday April 13 (3pm)
