Now fully recovered from the physical issues that sidelined him from the Madrid Open, Carlos Alcaraz is making a strong run at the Rome Masters 1000. He has taken down Dusan Lajovic, Laslo Djere, and Karen Khachanov on his way to the quarterfinals, where he’ll meet Jack Draper. Ahead of the clash, the Spanish star shared a pointed message.
“I want to take revenge from Indian Wells,” Alcaraz said of the upcoming match against Draper, according to the official ATP Tour website. The comment refers to their most recent meeting, in the semifinals of this year’s Masters 1000 in the California desert, where the British player won in three sets on his way to the title. “I will try to be more ready,” Carlos added.
Still, the Spanish star made it clear how much respect he has for his next opponent. “He’s one of the best players in the world right now,” Alcaraz said of the current World No. 5. “The results show how he good is playing lately… It’s going to be an interesting match to watch and to play.”
What did Draper say about Alcaraz?
Jack Draper reached the quarterfinals of the Rome Open by defeating Luciano Darderi, Vit Kopriva, and Corentin Moutet—none of whom are ranked in the ATP top 40. The matchup with Carlos Alcaraz will be his first major test of the tournament, but he’s confident in his chances. “I feel strong and I feel good about the match. I hope that I can bring some really good tennis,” he said.
World No. 5 Jack Draper
“I have big respect for him. I know what he’s going to bring. He’s going to be really tough to beat,” Draper said of Alcaraz. And when asked specifically about how he envisions Wednesday’s match, he added: “I see it as just two guys who are playing great tennis going out there and wanting to win and beat each other and be competitive.”
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Carlos Alcaraz admits to having physical struggles during his victory over Khachanov at the Rome Open
The Alcaraz–Draper rivalry
So far, Jack Draper and Carlos Alcaraz have faced each other five times on the ATP Tour. Their most recent encounter was Draper’s victory in the semifinals at Indian Wells, while earlier this year they met in the round of 16 at the Australian Open, where the Spanish star came out on top.
In 2024, Draper also claimed a win in the round of 16 at Queen’s Club in London, while in 2023, Alcaraz earned two victories—at Indian Wells and Swiss Indoors Basel—in what were the first two matches between the two.
These head-to-head results give Alcaraz a slight edge, with three wins in five meetings. However, they have never played each other on clay. While that surface would seemingly favor the Spanish star, Draper had his best-ever clay performance just days ago, reaching the final of the Madrid Open against Casper Ruud. That’s why this match is shaping up to be one of the most compelling showdowns of the week.
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