Vienna Open: Jack Draper returns to winning ways in Austrian epic with Kei Nishikori

Jack Draper has returned for the first time since handing Ugo Humbert a walkover due to injury last month at the Japan Open and has defeated Kei Nishikori in a Vienna Open epic.

Following on from the Dominic Thiem farewell, it was perhaps a hard act to follow. But the Brit put on a clinic with the former World Number Four sealing it 7-6, 7-5 in a closely ran affair.

The stats themselves showed a picture with Draper shading the winners 30 to 24 with only 14 unforced errors for Nishikori to 17 from Draper. Nishikori led the opening set superbly going 5-3 up on the Brit who had to battle back and toil to force a tie-break. He broke serve as Nishikori was serving for the set but he never led in the set until he won the tie-break. One that he shaded narrowly 7-5 coming 3-1 and 4-3 down to do so.

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The second set was much more of a close ran affair as Draper broke only at the end of the set. Aside from at 2-2 when Nishikori had a break chance, Draper or the Japanese ace weren't afforded a route on either serve. But Draper on his second match point sealed it. Next up won't be Thiem who lost in his farewell this evening. In fact it will be the victor in Luciano Darderi for a spot in the Quarter-Finals.

José Morgado

@josemorgado

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Quite a match in Vienna and a great win for Jack Draper 🔥

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