By Tony Fairbairn
- Jack Draper def Jaume Munar [Q] 7-5 3-6 7-6(5)
- Draper v Stefanos Tsitsipas [9] | H2H: Draper leads 1-0
CINCINNATI, USA – Jack Draper survived the heat and Jaume Munar to reach the second round in Cincinnati where he will face Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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Jack Draper def Jaume Munar [Q] 7-5 3-6 7-6(5)
Jack Draper survived a scorching hot day in Ohio and a tough challenge from Jaume Munar to reach the second round. After suffering an early exit in Canada, Draper was determined to bounce back in convincing fashion as he played some aggressive tennis early on. However this was always going to be an awkward and cagey affair given Munar’s style of play with the Spaniard producing some consistent tennis.
Despite having a difficult last few months, Munar had built confidence from his two wins in qualifying and that was evident to see as he used slice and power to test Draper’s baseline game with the Brit having to make some early tactical adjustments. The Spaniard’s persistent pressure on all areas of the court paid off as Munar produced unforced errors from Draper to take a 5-2 lead.
As the match went on Draper would find confidence on both sides as he needed to do something to stop Munar’s consistent rhythm. The Brit was able to dictate the tempo of the rallies and elevated his game to force errors from the Spaniard as Munar lacked control of the points. A sensational run of five games in a row saw Draper take the opening set in 46 minutes as he converted both of his break points in the opening set.
That level from Draper was hard to sustain though as the heat was playing a part in both players not playing their best tennis. An early break for Munar saw the Spaniard take an early 3-0 lead. At times Draper’s game looked suffocated as he continued to produce errors as he conceded another break and went 5-1 down.
Good luck telling Draper to conserve his energy for the final set though as the Brit remained resilient as he punished Munar’s tactical errors. A third break of the match saw Draper narrow the deficit to 5-3 as the Spaniard attempted to serve out the set for a second time. It was second time lucky for Munar though as he held to love to close out the second set with a deciding set to follow.
The gritty Spaniard continued the momentum into the final set as Draper produced some fatigued shots at times with a mistimed drop shot sealing the break for 2-1 in Munar’s favour. On a sizzling Cincinnati afternoon both players had to keep their concentration and Draper managed to do that slightly better in the middle part of the set as he broke immediately back for 2-2.
Both players created a break point opportunity each as they battled hard in order to get the crucial break. At 6-5 up, Draper took a medical time-out on his stomach as he was feeling the full force of the weather with Munar keeping composed to hold to love as the deciding set went to a tiebreak.
It was the perfect start for Munar as he went 4-2 up with precise and accurate tennis with a tense Draper becoming frustrated at his lack of aggressive tennis. Luckily for the Brit he controlled that frustration as he played his best tennis when it mattered most and won four points in a row to edge towards victory.
Although he lost the next point, Draper secured the victory with his 13th ace of the day as the Brit nodded his head in disapproval ahead of the second round in Cincinnati.
Jack Draper v Stefanos Tsitsipas [9] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Jack Draper v Stefanos Tsitsipas [9] | H2H: Draper leads 1-0 |
| ATP Cincinnati 2024 | Cincinnati, USA |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $49,030 |
| Third on Stadium Three (19:00 BST) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
The British number one will now face finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the third round.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
| H2H: | Jack Draper (WR 28) | Stefanos Tsitsipas (WR 11) |
| Tournament Previous Best | N/A | Final (2022) |
| 1st Serve % | 58.9 | 61.1 |
| Service Games Won % | 82.8 | 86.4 |
| Break Points Saved % | 57.3 | 68.5 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 50.8 | 50.2 |
| Break Points Converted % | 42.9 | 41.3 |
Draper will need to be keep up his clinical efficiency on return against a consistent and clutch server like Tsitsipas.
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Playing Styles and Prediction
Tsitsipas has had a decent season but has once again disappointed when it matters most as he hasn’t played his best tennis when he is a big favourite in the big match. An early exit to Kei Nishikori in Canada has forced Tsitsipas into some drastic coaching changes as his dad has been dropped from his team. Now the world number 11 will be hoping that will be what he needs to elevate his game as he looks to build confidence heading into the US Open.
Draper will need to take the match to Tsitsipas and will aim to be aggressive as he will look to rush the ninth seed’s play. Meanwhile Tsitsipas will need to be proactive on serve as he will look to shorten the points at the net and take advantage of Draper’s lack of conditioning. This is an interesting match as Draper should be favourite from a performance standpoint but the heat could play an important part in the outcome of this match. This will be a messy match with both players needing a win here.
Prediction: Draper in three sets.
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