"It highlighted a lot of weaknesses in my game": Jack Draper left disappointed as Wimbledon bid falls to Marin Cilic
ATP
Despite being British and the best hope in many a year for the country to have some semblance of success at Wimbledon, Jack Draper's mission hit a bit of a stumbling block as he was beaten by Marin Cilic, the former US Open champion on Thursday.
As expected Draper was left disappointed by the result. But more so in his own mind, it was how his game has developed or hasn't in this case over the course of the grass court season.
Last season before he then emerged as a top five player, Draper beat Alcaraz at Queen's but lost early at Wimbledon and this year he reached the semi-finals at the traditional warm-up then now lost to CIlic. Against Sebastian Baez, it was a bit more of an easier task as the latter retired.
But against Cilic he faced a wily fox who used every ounce of his experience to cause the huge upset and send Draper back to the drawing board. He admitted afterwards that he saw a lot of weaknesses in his game that need sorting. Todd Woodbridge also mooted the same on BBC post match saying his backhand needs work and can be targeted otherwise.
After such an incredible US Open run and start to 2025, his home Grand Slam didn't produce the same fruits for Draper but he will be ready to put it right.
“I’ve been really disappointed with the way my games been on the grass this year. I wasn’t feeling too great at Queens. I don’t know how I made the semis there and gave myself a chance of making the final. Because it highlighted to me this year I really struggled on the grass. I felt great on hard and great on the clay," said Draper.
"I felt like my game, there weren’t many holes. As soon as I came onto the grass, I felt a big difference. It’s something I’ve gotta keep in mind. How I’m gonna develop my game for the long term, for next year.. And to just get better as a player. For sure it highlighted a lot of weaknesses in my game. Especially against a player as good as him on the grass.”
Match Statistics Draper vs. Cilic
| Draper | VS | Cilic |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 14 | Aces | 16 |
| 0 | Double Faults | 6 |
| 64% (70/109) | 1st Service Percentage | 57% (59/104) |
| 71% (50/70) | 1st Service Points Won | 78% (46/59) |
| 46% (19/41) | 2nd Service Points Won | 60% (27/45) |
| 67% (6/9) | Break Points Saved | 71% (5/7) |
| 83% (15/18) | Service Games | 89% (16/18) |
| Return | ||
| 22% (13/59) | 1st Return Points Won | 29% (20/70) |
| 40% (18/45) | 2nd Return Points Won | 54% (22/41) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 2h 40m | Match Duration | 2h 40m |
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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