By Tony Fairbairn
- Jack Draper def Yoshihito Nishioka [LL] 6-3 6-0
- Draper v Miomir Kecmanovic | H2H: Draper leads 2-1
ACAPULCO, MEXICO – Jack Draper continued his good form in Acapulco by only losing three games against Yoshihito Nishioka and will now play Miomir Kecmanovic in the quarter-finals.
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Jack Draper def Yoshihito Nishioka [LL] 6-3 6-0
Jack Draper is into the quarter-finals in Acapulco after dropping three games against Yoshihito Nishioka. It was an incredible start from Draper as he displayed power and touch at the net to win eight of the first nine points to take a 2-0 lead. The break in the second game was sealed with a powerful backhand passing shot winner as Draper continued his confident form from his opening round win over Tommy Paul.
However Nishioka was a consistent returner, who can expose any player’s weaknesses through clever shot-making. The world number 82 provided evidence of his efficiency from the baseline in the next game as he created three break points with Draper struggling with his first serve.
Despite Draper’s service troubles, the Brit produced clutch serving and a sizzling forehand winner secured a 3-0 lead as well as control of the opening set. The rest of the set saw Draper maintain control on serve while Nishioka gradually gained confidence, winning plenty of long rallies. There was no threat on return from the lucky loser though a serve and volley combination sealed the opening set for Draper in 42 minutes.
In the second set Draper maintained his high level of play while there was a lack of effort from the world number 82. A backhand down-the-line secured the opening break for Draper as the Brit went from strength-to-strength for the remainder of the contest. There was an attempt from Nishioka to use depth to force errors from Draper but the Brit responded with a flurry of winners from both the forehand and backhand side.
Ending the match on 19 winners, Draper put Nishioka out of his misery as he secured a 68 minute victory and a place in the Acapulco quarter-finals.
Jack Draper v Miomir Kecmanovic H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Jack Draper v Miomir Kecmanovic | H2H: Draper leads 2-1 |
| ATP Acapulco 2024 | Acapulco, Mexico |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $60,440 |
| First on Grandstand (Midnight GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Next up for Draper is Miomir Kecmanovic who has proven to be a tricky customer for the Brit as four of their last five sets have gone to tiebreaks.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
| H2H: | Jack Draper (WR 50) | Miomir Kecmanovic (WR 53) |
| Tournament Previous Best | N/A | R2 (2020, 2021) |
| 1st Serve % | 56.1 | 62.6 |
| Service Games Won % | 80 | 78.9 |
| Break Points Saved % | 61 | 50 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 50.2 | 53 |
| Break Points Converted % | 52.5 | 35.4 |
Draper will look to capitalize on Kecmanovic’s lack of efficiency on break points as there will be very little to separate the two players.
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Playing Styles and Prediction
Acapulco is only the second time Kecmanovic has won back-to-back matches this season with the last tournament being the Australian Open. The Serb’s run to the second week in Melbourne was looking like a turning point after a poor last few months but Kecmanovic has yet to back that up so far. Now Kecmanovic will look to take advantage of a favourable draw and make a deep run in Mexico.
Draper will look to continue his efficiency on break points as he aims to serve big and hit his shots close to the lines to test Kecmanovic’s defensive skills. Meanwhile Kecmanovic will aim to serve effectively as he has done in the past two meetings, using his forehand to dictate play from the baseline. This should be another close contest but Draper’s form this week puts him as slight favourite for this match.
Prediction: Draper in three sets.
How to Watch/Follow ATP Acapulco 2024
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