British US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper yesterday said that he felt “really strong” after knocking out second seed Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 6-4 to reach the Japan Open quarter-finals.
The 22-year-old Draper earlier this month became the first British man to make the US Open last four since Andy Murray won the title 12 years ago, but found his path to the final blocked by eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Draper has picked up where he left off in Tokyo, beating Poland’s Hurkacz in 1 hour, 24 minutes to set up a quarter-final against either Brandon Nakashima of the US or France’s Ugo Humbert.
Photo: AFP
“I’m very happy with my performance in general, the way I’m moving, the way I’m serving,” world No. 20 Draper said, who is unseeded in Tokyo.
“I feel really strong here in Tokyo and I look forward to carrying on for the rest of the tournament,” he said.
Draper has come back from multiple shoulder injuries and was ranked outside the top 100 when he played at the Japan Open last year.
He has yet to have his serve broken in two matches so far at this year’s tournament.
“I’ve always had a high win percentage on my first serve, but my consistency, my percentage of first serve has always been a bit down,” he said. “I think I’m starting to feel my rhythm better, I’m starting to land more first serves in.”
Hurkacz’s exit means only three of the eight seeded players remain at the Japan Open.
Top seed Taylor Fritz, third seed Casper Ruud, fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and seventh seed Frances Tiafoe all lost in the first round.
Defending champion and eighth seed Ben Shelton advanced to the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
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