Following his frustrated reaction after being eliminated from the Italian Open in the quarter-finals, British No. 1 Jack Draper has been encouraged by Sky Sports Tennis analysts Tim Henman and Laura Robson not to be excessively harsh on himself.
Draper, 23, lost in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz, who successfully defended six out of eight break points to advance in Rome.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis post-match, Draper reflected on his performance, stating, “Carlos was superior tactically and emotionally compared to me. I feel very frustrated with my match today. I believe I could have made better tactical adjustments, and emotionally I was too negative.” He attributed some of this to the volume of tennis he`d played, but also acknowledged that top players bring out such feelings, and Alcaraz deserved the win.
He also identified areas for improvement, particularly on clay. “There are still aspects where, against a top clay-court player like today, certain things get exposed. For example, my return game – you need a bit more height on the ball on clay, and I don`t think I executed that well today,” Draper explained. “Also, especially in the matches I`ve lost recently, opponents have been able to target my backhand effectively. I need to keep improving my physicality and figure out how to be more successful in directing the ball to their backhand. It`s more of a strategic game on clay, and I`m still learning.”
Reacting to his comments, Laura Robson felt Draper was being “too harsh” on himself, especially considering his excellent performance over the preceding weeks. She noted that analyzing every point critically after a successful run can be mentally draining. Robson also touched on the frustration players experience when physical fatigue hinders their ability to implement their desired tactics. She observed moments in Draper`s match where it seemed his physical state prevented him from executing shots he knew he should make. “After playing this much tennis, it`s understandable that energy levels might not always be at their peak. That`s normal, it`s okay, and he will learn from this experience and improve next time.”
Tim Henman agreed, emphasizing the crucial role of Draper`s support team, led by James Trotman, in providing perspective. He suggested they need to remind Draper of the context – that he was defeated by the reigning French Open champion, whom Henman described as possibly the most naturally gifted clay-court player currently. Henman stressed the importance of reflecting on Draper`s progress and journey, highlighting the significant improvements he`s made this year and specifically on clay, where he is still relatively inexperienced.
Comparing Draper`s current state to a year ago, when he was struggling with injuries, Henman noted his transformation into “a completely different animal” on clay. He described this progress as “very, very exciting” because Draper is still developing his game on this surface. Henman also mentioned Draper`s growth in managing the physical and emotional demands of the tour, referencing his past struggles with anxiety. He stressed the importance of conserving energy to perform against the world`s best. Henman concluded by contrasting Draper`s injury woes last year with his current position as a top player, a Masters 1000 winner, and a contender for Roland Garros, calling it exciting progress for a player who is “only just starting.”
