"Against the the top players you get less and less chance": Jack Draper aims to outlast Carlos Alcaraz in Australian Open
ATP
Jack Draper shared insights on his physical condition and looked ahead to his fourth-round clash against Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. The British No. 1 emerged victorious from another gruelling five-set battle, defeating home favourite Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (10-8).
The 15th seed will face Alcaraz for the fourth time, with the Spaniard leading their head-to-head 2-1. Their last meeting was on the grass courts of the Queen’s Club Championships, where Draper ended Alcaraz’s 13-match winning streak on the surface. This time, the battle will be on hard court and in a best-of-five format, adding a new dimension to their rivalry.
After three five-setters, Draper aims for upset against Alcaraz
The World No. 15 has proven to be one of the great talents on the Tour, showing he has what it takes to climb even higher—provided physical issues, which have plagued much of his career, don’t get in the way.
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At the last US Open, he reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Remarkably, all his matches were decided in straight sets, as he secured five consecutive wins before being eliminated by the Italian, also in straight sets.
This time, Draper has played three consecutive five-set matches, making him the only player in the fourth round to have competed in a total of 15 sets. This includes a gruelling five-hour battle against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round. After defeating home favourite Aleksandar Vukic in the third round, Draper expressed pride in his physical condition:
"I'm very, very proud of my efforts from the physical part of things. I'm obviously not feeling incredibly fresh right now, but I'll recover again. I'll do my best to go again for another one."
MIDNIGHT MARATHON! 🤯
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 15, 2025
Jack Draper prevails in a FIVE-SET THRILLER against Thanasi Kokkinakis to progress to Round 3 in Melbourne! 👏👏👏#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/pUn9wGY8zQ
Draper previews Australian Open showdown
Meanwhile, Alcaraz has had a relatively smooth run. The Spaniard dropped only an average of two games per set in his first two rounds and, despite losing a set in the third round against Nuno Borges, advanced comfortably.
"Carlos is a special talent, an unbelievable player and someone I have a good friendship with," Draper said about the 4-time Grand slam champion. "It's going to be an incredible match; hopefully my body pulls up, I can give it my all and it will be a great contest."
Draper arrives with a total of 12 hours and 34 minutes on court, more than double Alcaraz’s 6 hours and 10 minutes. The 23-year-old Brit emphasised that he will need to play at his very best to defeat the Spaniard again and reach the quarter-finals of a Major once more.
“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 need to to be aggressive, I need to take my chances. Against the the top players you get less and less chances to to win games and sets and all these sort of things “
“I need to be brave in in the way I play, but I'm expecting him to come out and you know, that I've played three five-setters,” he added.” He’s got battle on his hands and he’s going to have to play good, so it’ll be a great contest, I’m sure,” Jack Draper concluded
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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