stevemcqueen wrote:

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I come back from a busy day to see that both Jack and Dan have won!  I know that Madrid has altitude and that there is more snow in Madrid than in London but Spain has seen damp weather these last couple of weeks just as Munich has. Fast conditions in Monte Carlo didn't help Dan. I wonder what odds we'd have had for them both winning in straight sets!  

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Weeks ?  More like months.

1st May today and it has been raining here again.  My forecast for this week ?

• Monday - Rain
• Tuesday - Rain
• Wednesday - Rain
• Thursday - Rain
• Friday - Sunny intervals

Never known a year like it in my 20+ years over here.

paulisi wrote:

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Jack showing as 106 in live rankings, but big jump to top 100

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 Not that big - hes 63 live points outside top 100, another win here would give him 45. But, yes, at challenger level its effectively a tournie win. Suspect Jack will eat that up by the end of June though ! 

Yay 

And it's not to do with that draw.

Hello SC !

wolf wrote:

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L56: (WC) Jack Draper WR 124 beat Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) WR 27 6-4 6-3

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From Stu Fraser's Fraser's report in today's Times:

[Jack] Draper, 20, continued to live up to his billing as Britain's best young male prospect by claiming his first ATP Tour win on clay. He backed up the decision by tournament organisers to award him a main-draw wild card by seeing off Lorenzo Sonego, the world No 27 from Italy, 6-4, 6-3.

Draper has built up a head of steam this year, with 25 wins in 29 matches, most of them on the second-tier ATP Challenger circuit. At No 124 in the world rankings, he is edging towards the top 100 and is on the verge of gaining direct entry for Wimbledon with the absence of players from Russia and Belarus this summer.

"I think after today I'll be pretty close," Draper said. "I actually said to Tim [Henman] last year that I want to be able to get into Wimbledon without a wild card. It definitely was one of my big goals this year, so hopefully I can do it."

Draper already carries himself with confidence in this high-level setting on the court. Yesterday he was firing down serves at speeds of up to 138mph to claim the second-best win of his career, behind his victory over Jannik Sinner at last year's Queen's Club Championships. However, it is taking him some time to become accustomed to being in the company of the world's best players in the locker room.

"It's a bit weird walking round the tournament having been to a lot of Challengers," Draper said. "Here you are having a double take at Rafa [Nadal]. I feel like the more I play, the more like I belong. But I do sort of have this mindset where if I have a wild card, I know I'm just passing through because you still can't get used to this. I'm still outside and not here on merit."

Tomorrow, Draper will face a top-ten player for only the second time. He took it to Novak Djokovic last year on Centre Court, claiming the first set of their first-round match at Wimbledon before losing in four. More of the same is expected against the world No 8, Andrey Rublev.

"I just think I've got to go into it with no fear," Draper said. "It is a good opportunity for me. I'll definitely be fighting for every ball. I've got to use confidence from today. He hasn't had a match here [Rublev was awarded a first-round bye] and it's a bit different. The conditions are definitely tough for any player to deal with."