Jack Draper vs Carlos Alcaraz: British No 1 wants to be aggressive and take risks against ‘special talent’ at Australian Open | Tennis news
British No.1 Jack Draper says he is hoping for a “big contest” when he takes on good friend Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday.
After going the distance against Mariano Navone and Thanasi Kokkinakis, Draper came back from two sets to one down to beat unseeded Australian Aleksandar Vukic and set up a clash with Spain’s Alcaraz on Friday.
Draper couldn’t separate himself from his unheralded opponent until the deciding tie-break, which he just did won 6-4 2-6 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (10-8) at 12:55 p.m..
Draper hardly had the energy to celebrate and, after spending more than 12-and-a-half hours on court during his three matches, must now try to recover for his first Grand Slam meeting with third seed Alcaraz on Sunday.
Draper was due to spend a week training with Alcaraz in southern Spain in December, but that was cut short due to a hip injury.
The pair have played three previous matches and Draper can take confidence from victory in their last outing at Queen’s Club last summer – although he doesn’t see it as particularly relevant.
“Grass is obviously a win, but I think he just came off the French Open and had some time off,” Draper said. “I just won Stuttgart and grass is a completely different ball game.
“I know what to expect from him. He’s going to come out with a lot of energy, and obviously he’s a special talent.
“I have to be aggressive. I have to take my chances. Against top players, you have fewer and fewer chances to win games and sets and all that stuff.
“I have to be bold in the way I play, but I expect him to come out and know that I’ve played three five-setters and I know he’s got a battle on his hands, and he’s going to have to play well. It’s going to be a great contest, I’m sure.”
Draper credits the change in breathing technique
Draper has broken down physically in a series of matches, battling back spasms several times while throwing up after a first-round match last year and during the US Open semifinals.
He believes anxiety played a role, but also revealed he used the time he was sidelined with a hip injury in the preseason to change the way he breathes during games.
“I’ve been working a lot for a while in general. It seems that maybe, thanks to the time off with the hook, I’ve been able to focus on working on a few different things.”
He continued: “I’ve been working a lot with a breathing coach and just trying to understand it a little bit better. So I think it’s really helping.
“I had a lot of sinus problems when I was younger, so I breathe through my mouth a lot. Obviously when you’re worried or when you have long spots and you need to recover quickly, it’s not effective to breathe through your mouth.
“So I’ve been trying to change what I’m doing and breathe a lot better through the nose. I think sometimes you don’t realize how tense your body is.
“Especially me, because I’ve always been someone who likes to try really hard, and I think sometimes you just have to relax. Especially in tennis, because you have to be free to let your muscles do what they need to do. So, obviously, if you’re tense all the time , you won’t last long.”
The 23-year-old from Sutton admitted his critics were right to question his stamina, but was proud to dispel those doubts with a stunning success against Vukic.
Asked if he had a message for those who doubted him, Draper was bluntly honest, saying: “No, not really.
“It’s true. Most of the time I’m done after two sets. It’s just the way it is and it’s something I’m aware of and I should have been better at it.
“I still have a long way to go, but this is a big improvement, the fact that I’m mentally and physically (fit) – three matches in five sets, that doesn’t happen often. It’s a confirmation of the work I’ve done and the place I’m at. So I’m very , very proud of it.
“Obviously I’m not feeling incredibly fresh right now, but I’ll bounce back. I’ll do my best to go for another one again.”
Can Draper recover for the final test?
He didn’t come off the court after Friday night’s fight with Vukic until 1 a.m. and was hoping for another night match against Alcaraz, but instead will have to play through the heat of the day with a match scheduled at Rod Laver Arena at 3:30 p.m. local time.
In even worse news for Draper, it is predicted to be the hottest day of the tournament so far, with temperatures in the mid-30s, so it will be a serious test for his already tired body.
Draper, who had never advanced past the second round here before, played in three of the tournament’s longest 13 matches and spent more than 12 1/2 hours on court – more than twice as long as Alcaraz, who lost just one set.
On how he will try to recover, Draper said: “The main thing is just to not think about tennis at all and switch off from it and try to relax, and hopefully the body will be fine. I expect to be really sore.”
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