After an unforgettable week filled with frantic comebacks, endless adrenaline and the deep satisfaction of fearlessly breaking through mental and physical barriers, defeat came quickly for a shattered Jack Draper in the vast, lonely surrounds of Rod Laver Arena.
Draper’s excellent Australian Open run ended with a painful injury retirement in the fourth round due to a worsening hip injury while trailing Carlos Alcaraz, the third seed, 7-5, 6-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Alcaraz will reignite his intergenerational rivalry with Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated quarter-final battle after the Serb continued to build his form and momentum in his first major tournament with Andy Murray as his coach, comfortably moving past the Czech youngster Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) .
After his victory Djokovic boycotted the usual on-court post-match interview with Jim Courier after comments made by the Channel Nine reporter Tony Jones, which Djokovic said “made a mockery” of Serbian fans. Djokovic says he will refuse to engage with Channel Nine, the host broadcaster, until he receives an official apology.
Draper ends his tournament having taken one of the most significant steps forward in his career to date, despite finishing under such unfortunate circumstances. The 23-year-old has struggled with so many physical problems during his short time on tour but found a way through three consecutive five-set matches, demonstrating his improved durability, stamina and heart in the process.
Draper once entered grand slam tournaments nervous about how his body would fare whenever he put it through gruelling best-of-five-sets matches, but now understands that this format can actually help him, making him a difficult opponent to beat deep into a long match.
“Considering everything I’m incredibly proud of my efforts,” said Draper. “My tennis has been pretty bang-average. The whole week, it’s been really poor, actually, but, it’s been my competitiveness, my fight, and my desire to win that has got me into the last 16 of a grand slam, which is something I’m very proud of.”
Still, progress is rarely straightforward. Draper was sidelined with tendinitis in his hip during the off-season and was managing the injury throughout the tournament. The massive load he put it under during his dramatic comebacks over the past week proved too much.
Alcaraz embraced Draper and then applauded his opponent off the court, offering words of consolation while signing the broadcast camera: “You will be where you deserve. Get well soon, Jack!”
Alcaraz said that he later sought out Draper in the locker room. “Obviously it’s not the way I wanted to get through to win matches,” he said. “When I see someone that has to retire because of an injury, for me it’s not an easy moment.
“I couldn’t tell anything to Jack in that moment. Just wish him a good recovery. Just said sorry. I saw him in the locker room that I could speak more with him about it. But I just said that I’m going to see him soon playing his best again.”
Alcaraz started the match powerful forehands, closing down the net and testing Draper’s movement with ample drop shots and he eventually closed out a tight first set after failing to serve it out at 5-3. As he tried to match Alcaraz’s intensity, it took just three games for Draper’s hip to become extremely sore and it continued to deteriorate throughout.
Draper called for the trainer immediately after the first set while pointing towards his left hip. Draper walked gingerly off the court for a medical timeout, while Alcaraz appeared to be in much better shape as he exchanged jokes with his team.
Things only worsened for Draper after he returned. As the second set continued and Alcaraz maintained his intensity, Draper’s mobility was increasingly restricted. He ended the set watching easy balls fly past him for clean winners, barely able to move.
As the two players walked back towards their seats after the set, Alcaraz waited briefly at the net in anticipation of Draper’s retirement. However, Draper kept his head down and walked straight to his seat, seemingly determined to continue the match even though he could no longer be competitive. Eventually, he understood the futility of continuing, shaking his head as he walked over to Alcaraz and conceded the match.
In the end, Draper’s 16th and 17th sets of the week proved two steps too far in a tournament that has seen him take so many leaps forward.
