Jack Draper returned to winning ways at the Japan Open with a straight-sets victory over Mattia Bellucci.
The British number one claimed a 6-4 6-2 win against the Italian to secure his spot in the last 16, where he will face second seed Hubert Hurkacz.
The result is Draper’s first singles success since his brilliant run at the US Open, where he was defeated by eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.
The 22-year-old had been looking to bounce back in Asia following a disappointing Davis Cup campaign with Great Britain and did so in the opening round in Tokyo, serving up nine aces on his way to defeating Bellucci inside 70 minutes.
One happy @jackdraper0 😀
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— LTA (@the_LTA) September 26, 2024
Draper said on the ATP Tour X account: “I’m really happy with my first-round win today. I love playing here at the Japan Open, amazing tournament and amazing city.
“I look forward to hopefully competing well for the rest of the tournament.”
After a tight start, Draper began to take charge after breaking his opponent in the fifth game and the world number 20 then sent down four aces en route to claiming the opening set.
Draper then cruised to victory in the second set, breaking Bellucci – ranked 103 in the world – twice to secure safe passage to a showdown with Poland’s Hurkacz.
