By Tony Fairbairn
- Jack Draper [Q] def Gael Monfils [17] 6-2 0-2 RET
- Draper v Pablo Carreno Busta | H2H: First Meeting
MONTREAL, CANADA – Jack Draper reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final of his career following a Gael Monfils retirement and will now face in-form Pablo Carreno Busta in Montreal.
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Jack Draper [Q] def Gael Monfils [17] 6-2 0-2 RET
Jack Draper is into his first Masters 1000 quarter-final after Gael Monfils retired from their encounter in the second set. The early stages of the match showed that this was going to be a brutal match with the Frenchman forcing Draper into long rallies, trying to take away the Brit’s energy.
That didn’t seem to faze Draper though as he looked sharp at the net and displayed some effective point construction to break and take a 2-1 lead. The Brit’s backhand was doing the damage on court as his depth and power was causing Monfils problems as more errors came from the Frenchman’s racket as Draper seized the opportunity to take a double break lead at 4-1.
Draper also showed his finesse round the court as he exposed Monfils’s poor approach shots when coming to the net. Monfils managed to hold onto his serve to force the Brit to serve for the opening set, but when asked the question Draper answered emphatically as an ace sealed the set in 33 minutes.
In the second set, Monfils responded well to going down a set by showing his athleticism and unique power. A backhand pass winner saw Monfils break for a 2-0 lead as he rallied the Montreal crowd in the only way he knows how.
However just as the world number 20 was gaining momentum, his momentum was suddenly halted as at 15 all, Monfils suffered a bizarre foot injury when landing for a forehand and that forced him to retire. A devastating ending for Monfils who will now return to Europe to see if he can play the US Open while Draper is into his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final.
Jack Draper [Q] v Pablo Carreno Busta H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Jack Draper [Q] v Pablo Carreno Busta | H2H: First Meeting |
| ATP Montreal | Montreal, Canada |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $149,085 |
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Draper’s first Masters 1000 quarter-final will take place against Pablo Carreno Busta who has only dropped 14 games this week.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2022)
| H2H: | Jack Draper (WR 82) | Pablo Carreno Busta (WR 23) |
| Tournament Previous Best | N/A | R2 (2017, 2018) |
| 1st Serve % | 59.2 | 67.3 |
| Service Games Won % | 86.7 | 81.3 |
| Break Points Saved % | 71.3 | 60.8 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 51.4 | 51.8 |
| Break Points Converted % | 38.9 | 37.7 |
Carreno Busta’s confidence on serve and second serve return will be something Draper will need to be wary of heading into this match.
Playing Styles and Prediction
Carreno Busta has clicked into gear this week after a frustrating season with comfortable victories over Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner. The Spaniard has played aggressive tennis and has only dropped 14 games this week, with Carreno Busta showing why he can be a dangerous prospect for any player in the world on his day.
Draper will look to continue to play attacking tennis while being smart with the timing of his aggression. This will be a good test as Carreno Busta has played equally as aggressive tennis this week as well as playing high-risk tennis. The night time conditions will suit Draper’s game more but if the Spaniard continues to hit top form then this match may be one step too far for the qualifier.
Prediction: Carreno Busta in three sets.
Felix Auger-Aliassime [6] def Cameron Norrie [9] 6-3 6-4
As Draper focuses on the last eight, Cameron Norrie now heads to Cincinnati to continue his US Open preparations after a straight sets defeat to hometown favourite Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian got his revenge from last week’s defeat to Norrie in Los Cabos as he broke in the eighth game of the opening set and the ninth game of the second set.
Norrie created no break points as he will look to improve his form next week in Cincinnati in his final tournament before the last grand slam of the year.
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