By Tony Fairbairn
- Jack Draper [7] def Lorenzo Musetti [6] 6-2 6-4
- Draper v Karen Khachanov | H2H: Khachanov leads 2-1
VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Jack Draper battled past Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets to reach his third final of the season and will now face Karen Khachanov for the Vienna title.
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Jack Draper [7] def Lorenzo Musetti [6] 6-2 6-4
Jack Draper is into his third final of the year after a straight sets win over Lorenzo Musetti. Although the match seemed straightforward, it was far from it with most of the game going to Deuce during the contest. Just like his last two matches, Draper got off to a quick start as the Brit took advantage of a nervy start from the Italian.
A theme of this match was that the Italian showed great resilience and responded quickly, testing the Draper stamina in the next game. Musetti was aggressive on the forehand but Draper’s defensive skills were up to the task with the British number one saving break point to take a 2-0 lead. There were some incredible shots in the early stages from both players but it was Musetti who stunned Draper with a stunning backhand return winner to break back and level the set at 2-2.
Although Musetti created moments of world-class tennis, it was Draper who was more consistent with his attacking intent and forced more tactical errors from the Italian to break for a 3-2 lead. The seventh seed wasn’t content on stopping there as he matched Musetti both from the baseline and the net. A stunning forehand passing shot sealed the double break with Draper having the opportunity to serve for the opening set at 5-2. No mistake was made from Draper as he edged towards another service hold to win the opening set in 40 minutes.
In the second set Draper continued his returning aggression as he continued to apply the pressure on the Musetti serve. On the fourth break point of the third game, Draper produced a ridiculous backhand down-the-line winner to seal a crucial break at 2-1. Despite the early advantage, Draper’s work was far from done as it was the Italian’s turn to apply consistent returning pressure as he made the Brit work hard for every point.
Two incredibly long service games went the way of Draper as he was forced to save two break points but the Brit’s resistance would eventually be broken. After failing to convert two break points, Draper would be broken as a mixture of touch and power saw Musetti break to level the set at 4-4.
There was an emphatic response from Draper though as he comfortably broke in the next game but was starting to feel the effects of some ridiculously long games. The world number 18 requested to see the doctor briefly as he was struggling to breathe after some lung-busting rallies. However Draper kept his cool and a big serve down the T saw him into a first Vienna final.
Jack Draper [7] v Karen Khachanov H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Jack Draper [7] v Karen Khachanov | H2H: Khachanov leads 2-1 |
| ATP Vienna 2024 | Vienna, Austria |
| Indoor Hard | Prize Money: €284,540/€461,920 |
| Second on Center Court (Not before 13:00 GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Draper will aim to win his second career title in Austria when he faces Karen Khachanov for the Vienna title.
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2024)
| H2H: | Jack Draper (WR 18) | Karen Khachanov (WR 24) |
| Tournament Previous Best | N/A | Quarter-Final (2016, 2019, 2023) |
| 1st Serve % | 58 | 63.5 |
| Service Games Won % | 84 | 82.2 |
| Break Points Saved % | 60.6 | 62.9 |
| 2nd Serve Return Points Won % | 51 | 50.1 |
| Break Points Converted % | 44 | 41.1 |
Draper will hope his returning efficiency can continue against an opponent he has struggled to deal with in the past.
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Playing Styles and Prediction
Khachanov’s form had been a bit inconsistent in the lead up to the indoor hard court season as he just about sits inside the world’s top 25. However a title in Almaty has been followed up by a run to the final in Vienna with back-to-back wins over Matteo Berrettini and Alex De Minaur. Now Khachanov will aim for another title and send a real statement heading into the end of the season.
Draper will use depth to neutralize the power of Khachanov as he will aim to dictate the rallies with his forehand. Meanwhile Khachanov will need to serve aggressively in order to have any chance of winning this match as he will use the forehand to hit effective winners. This will be a tough match against an in-form player but if Draper can consistently produce high quality tennis then he has a chance of winning a second title of his career.
Prediction: Draper in three sets.
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