By Tony Fairbairn
- Jack Draper def Borna Coric 7-5 6-1
- Draper v Daniil Medvedev [2] | H2H: First Meeting
ROME, ITALY – Jack Draper is into the second round in Rome after a straight sets win over Borna Coric and will now face defending champion Daniil Medvedev.
Jack Draper def Borna Coric 7-5 6-1
Jack Draper is into the second round in Rome after overcoming a tight opening set against Borna Coric. Both players produced powerful hitting and serving to start the match with Draper continuing the confidence he had in Madrid into Rome. Meanwhile Coric matched Draper’s power with some phenomenal depth off the forehand as the Croatian was efficient on serve.
There was not only power but finesse from Draper as the Brit produced stunning reflexes at the net. During the set it was Draper who applied the most pressure on return as he produced some effective forehand returns which caused the Croatian trouble. However Coric produced some big serving when it really mattered to deny the Brit the early break.
Despite Coric’s impressive angles, the Croatian lacked the patience and finishing touches to outsmart Draper in the big moments. That was evident in the twelfth game as Draper waited for the perfect moment to strike as he relied on his defensive skills to extract unforced errors from Coric. After another long exchange a loose forehand from Coric on set point down saw Draper break to take the opening set 7-5.
It was Draper’s defensive shot-making that earned him the momentum in the second set as the Brit’s backhand completely neutralized any attacking threat from the Croatian. A good mix of height and pace allowed Draper to dominate the second set as he converted two of his six break points, taking a 5-0 lead.
There was a consolidation service hold for Coric but Draper continued his impressive second set by sealing the match with a hold to love to book a place in the second round in Rome.
Jack Draper v Daniil Medvedev [2] H2H & Match Fundamentals
Jack Draper v Daniil Medvedev [2] | H2H: First Meeting |
Rome 2024 | Rome, Italy |
Clay (O) | Prize Money: €30,435 |
Third on Center Court (13:30 BST) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Draper will now face defending champion and second seed Daniil Medvedev for a place in the third round.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
H2H: | Jack Draper (WR 40) | Daniil Medvedev (WR 4) |
Tournament Previous Best | N/A | Champion (2023) |
1st Serve % | 58.1 | 61.7 |
Service Games Won % | 82.5 | 80.2 |
Break Points Saved % | 62.7 | 61.8 |
2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 51.8 | 54.1 |
Break Points Converted % | 50.3 | 43.6 |
Draper will aim to continue his efficiency on return as he will need to take his opportunities against a consistent Medvedev.
Playing Styles and Prediction
Medvedev has had an impressive season having reached a couple of finals but the world number four has lacked that cutting edge in order to win a title. Now Medvedev aims to recover from an injury he suffered in Madrid as he looks to successfully defend his Rome title ahead of Roland Garros.
Draper will look to continue looking solid on the backhand side as he aims to use angles to test Medvedev’s movement out on the clay. Meanwhile Medvedev will be consistent on serve and return as he aims to pin Draper behind the baseline, looking for drop-shots to mix things up. This should be a good opportunity for Draper given Medvedev’s recent fitness issues. As long as Medvedev is healthy than the world number four should edge into the third round although a gruelling encounter awaits both players.
Prediction: Medvedev in three sets.
Fabio Fognini [WC] def Dan Evans 6-4 3-6 6-2
As Draper prepares for the second round, Dan Evans’ horrid clay court season continues after a three set defeat to Fabio Fognini. As expected the match produced drama and controversy as Evans came back from a set down to take the second set and force a deciding third set.
However Evans was left fuming as Mohamed Lahyani failed to spot Fognini’s volley go wide as he overruled the line judge, who did call it out. The moment came at an important moment which then saw the Brit’s head drop while Fognini raced to victory to seal a place in the second round.
As things stand, Evans’ next tournament will be at Roland Garros which starts on the 26th of May.
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