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Jack Draper slumped into a seat and hid his face after a thrilling afternoon of top-notch tennis ended in disappointment for Great Britain in their 2-0 loss to Serbia. The sadness on his face was evident as he prepared for the looming challenge of facing Novak Djokovic in the second match of their Davis Cup quarter-final. The sold-out crowd at Málaga’s José María Martín Carpena Arena knew just how crucial the first match was.
Despite putting up a fierce fight, Draper ultimately lost the match after two tense tiebreaks. However, his performance on the court was nearly flawless and he battled until the very end. Although his level dropped during the first tiebreak, he was able to rally and put up a strong fight in the second set, which ultimately came down to just a few crucial points.
Although the 21-year-old had performed decently, Miomir Kecmanovic stole the show with his spectacular performance. As a highly skilled player on the verge of a breakthrough, he rose to the occasion and delivered one of his top performances of the year, earning a well-deserved victory.
Occasionally, the other player is simply superior. This encounter remains a crucial aspect of Draper’s learning process, a significant milestone in his personal development and, in the near future, when he is expected to lead the British Davis Cup team. During his post-match interview, it was remarkable to witness Draper acknowledging the benefits of his loss despite feeling frustrated. “While my focus was on the match, it’s an invaluable opportunity for me at such a young age,” he stated.
Despite the challenges that Draper faced this year, the fact that he was able to participate in Britain’s Davis Cup attempt while also being healthy was a triumph in its own right. Despite experiencing multiple injuries last season, Draper showed significant improvement, reaching a personal best ranking of 42 and setting himself up for potential future success in climbing even higher in the top 30 rankings.
He had started this season in similar form, reaching the semi-finals in Adelaide and then facing off against Rafael Nadal in a tough four-set match in the opening round of the Australian Open. From there, the wheels came off as his body let him down time and time again. Hip, abdominal and shoulder injuries kept him away from the court, including a miserable withdrawal from Wimbledon. By September, he was ranked 123 in the world and was back to grinding away at ATP Challenger tournaments as quickly as he had left them behind.
“After sustaining a shoulder injury in May, I was facing a difficult situation. I had not played at all during the year, causing my ranking to continuously decrease. When I finally returned to playing, I was ranked 130. It was a challenging task to work my way back up through the Challenger tournaments and cope with the significant drop in rank,” he explains.
After coming back right before the US Open, Draper has been able to swiftly regain his skills. He achieved his best fourth round performance in New York, won an ATP Challenger title, and reached his first ATP final in Sofia just a few weeks ago. As a result, his ranking has improved significantly since September and he is now ranked as the world No 60 player.
The experience from this latest loss ensures he will head into the off-season with positive sentiments as he tries to move further up the rankings. As always, ensuring that his body is robust enough to handle the rigours of the tour will be an essential goal in the five weeks before next season kicks off. If he can, there will be much more to come.
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Cameron Norrie faced a straight-set loss to Djokovic on Thursday, but he was content with his effort and determination against the top-ranked player. In preparation for the Davis Cup finals, he chose to take a break and withdrew from the Paris Masters, a deviation from his usual routine.
After experiencing a slight knee injury, it appears evident that Norrie’s demanding schedule has taken its toll on him following two remarkable and transformative years that established him as a top 20 player. Since Wimbledon, Norrie has appeared fatigued and has only managed a disappointing record of 4 wins and 12 losses.
Norrie is focused on improving his physical and mental readiness during the off-season in order to perform at his best in the upcoming season. While he has already shown impressive results in competing with top players for over two years, he is determined to achieve even more.
Source: theguardian.com
