Jack Draper close to a huge rankings breakthrough after his chief rival is beaten
Ok Jack Draper could be seeded at No 4 at the French Open after his big rival for that position was beaten at the Italian Open.
Taylor Fritz has established himself in the game’s top four in recent weeks, but the American could now be set to drop a place after he was beaten by Marcos Giron at the Italian Open.
Fritz has something of a late bloomer on clay courts after initially suggesting he did not feel comfortable on a surface that he rarely played on in his youth.
Yet he enjoyed some fine results on clay last year, including a run to the Italian Open quarter-finals.
His exit in his first match at this year’s tournament in Rome after a 7-6[4], 7-6[3] defeat means Fritz will lose 190 points from his current ATP Ranking.
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With Draper still going strong in Rome after a 6-1, 6-4 win against Luciano Darderi, he now has a chance to overtake Fritz in the rankings.
The win against Darderi was another hugely impressive display from the form player on the ATP Tour, who looked relatively fresh despite playing in the final of the Madrid Masters last weekend.
“It was a dogfight. I think my concentration slipped a little bit, I started getting a little bit flat,” Draper told Sky Sports.
“I think my concentration slipped a little bit, I started getting a little bit flat. I think I started off really well, I was looking for the forehand, I was coming forward well,” he explained.
“Just in the second set, a couple of missed returns, a couple of balls here and there that were a bit sloppy, and then it was a dogfight. He came out, he started picking up his energy, the crowd started getting up with him.
“It became a little bit tight in the end there but I think I did a really good job of being able to stay calm and come through.
“In the first set I was moving up the court, I was being the aggressive one. Then in the second set, I found my energy dipped a little bit and then he started finding my backhand a little bit more so it was harder for me to be on the front foot and look for the forehand and be aggressive.
“The conditions I think got a little bit cooler but I think I did well in the end, good job of making that extra ball, making him play, I neutralised pretty well. I think I’ve just got to keep my energy up throughout the match.”
“Winning lots of matches this year helps you to feel comfortable in those moments.”
Draper is now closing in on what could be a hugely significant rankings breakthrough ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season at the French Open later this month.
His run to the Madrid final saw him rise to No 5 in the ATP Rankings and now he is eyeing up a leap to No 4, with Taylor Fritz in his sights.
Draper moved to within 165 points of Fritz in the rankings with his win against Darderi and if he continues to win matches in Rome, the big-serving American may not be able to fend off the threat of his young rival.
Leaping into the top four would be significant for Draper as it would mean he would avoid a meeting with the top two seeds at the French Open until the semi-final and final at Roland Garros.
That prospect seemed a long way off for Draper at the start of this season, but he is now an established member of the top five and looks ready to take that to the next level.
Draper will be a big favourite to get through to the last-16 when he takes on world No 92 Vit Kopriva in his next match, with Fritz under increasing pressure to hang on to the No 4 ranking.
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