Jack Draper set up a likely US Open third-round tie with Carlos Alcaraz after an out-of-sorts Katie Boulter suffered a disappointing exit to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Draper, who enjoys playing on the American hard courts having made it to the fourth round in New York last year, was far too good for his opponent Diaz Acosta of Argentina, winning 6-4 6-2 6-2.
But he will have his work cut out matching last year’s run as Alcaraz is likely to be waiting in the next round.
The Spaniard, who won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, faces Dutchman Botic van De Zanschulp in the early hours of Friday.
Draper was in control from the off against the world No 64. A break in the third game of the match put him on his way and it was plain sailing from there, hitting 29 winners in a routine win.
“I didn’t know what to expect today as I didn’t get enough court time the other day to know. But today I felt my tennis was in a good place,” Draper told Sky Sports Tennis.
“I felt a bit flat at the start. Sometimes you don’t wake up feeling amazing so I had to get myself going and I felt my serve got me out of trouble a lot.
“Hopefully I can build on this performance. This is the Grand Slam where I have had my best results so far so there is something about the conditions that suit my game.
“If I keep on improving, there is no reason I can’t do well here.”
Draper, who upset Alcaraz on grass at Queen’s earlier this summer, said: “I was proud of my performance at Queen’s as he hasn’t lost to anyone on grass for a couple of years so I must have done something right.
“If I do play him I will be expecting a very different Carlos Alcaraz. It is a different ball game on a hard court.”
The Breakdown
Sky Sports Tennis’ Tim Henman, on Jack Draper:
“I was impressed by his overall level. There were very few dips. His serving, hitting his spots, winning first-serve points.
“If you were being critical you would like to see the first-serve percentage a little higher, it was around 50-55 but from the back of his court, his footwork and physicality [stood out].
“He looked to attack both wings and he wasn’t afraid to serve and volley. It was a very impressive performance.”
Boulter suffers disappointing defeat
Boulter was outplayed throughout her 7-5 7-5 defeat to the world No 74 to end British interest in the women’s draw following Harriet Dart’s exit to Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk on Wednesday.
She was heard saying to her team on courtside that “everything was horrendous” as her best game deserted her.
Bouzas Maneiro, 21, has already upset Paula Badosa in Madrid and knocked out Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon this year, and now she can add Boulter to her list despite a spirited rally from the British No 1 in the second set.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” Boulter told a news conference after her defeat. “I can sit here and say I’m trying to get a run in a Grand Slam and I’m pushing myself in these moments but at the same time I’m trying not to put too much emphasis on it because you can stop thinking about winning the match instead of the actual process of it.”
The match hinged on the first set and Boulter looked in a good position when she broke to go 4-2 up.
But from that point the Spaniard dictated the match, cleverly moving Boulter around the court to win five of the next six games and take the opener.
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Boulter lost the opening set of her first-round victory over Aliaksandra Sasnovich but there was no comeback this time, even though she briefly threatened it.
A double break for Bouzas Maneiro in the second set appeared to seal Boulter’s fate as she trailed 5-2, but she clawed them both back and held her own serve to level at 5-5.
However, normality resumed as Boulter handed her next service game back to Bouzas Maneiro with a bad miss at the net and a double fault.
Her opponent was able to serve it out at the second attempt to make the third round of a Grand Slam for just the second time.
Boulter, who played doubles alongside Anna Kalinskaya on Wednesday, admitted the transition from grass to clay, in order to play at the Paris Olympics, and then to hard court in time for the US Open did impact her performance at Flushing Meadows.
“I’m lying if I say it didn’t, but I knew that,” said the 28-year-old from Leicester. “My mind was set from stage one and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“I do need to look after my body which is why I won’t play the Korea Open in Seoul. I’ll give myself an extra week to get some groundwork done and that’s my compromise.”
The Breakdown
Sky Sports Tennis’ Tim Henman on Katie Boulter’s defeat:
“It came down to errors. You can overcomplicate this game but if you keep the ball on the island you will be very good.
“Sixty points in the first set between the players finished with a mistake. When Katie fought back from 5-2 down in the second set it was because she didn’t make mistakes.
“It was a disappointing performance, given Katie’s quality. It’s a match I think she should win.
“If she looks back at this it won’t be a great watch but I think she can learn a lot from it. She is such a good ball striker that if she keeps the ball in play, she wins that game pretty routinely.”
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What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?
- Jasmin Open, Tunisia – WTA 250 (9-15 September)
- Guadalajara Open, Mexico – WTA 500 (9-15 September)
- Korea Open – WTA 500 (16 -22 September – with Emma Raducanu in action)
- Thailand Open – WTA 250 (16 -22 September)
- Chengdu Open, China – ATP 250 (18-24 September)
- Hangzhou Open, China – ATP 250 (18-24 September)
- China Open – WTA 1000 (Sept 25 – Oct 6)
- Japan Open – ATP 500 (Sept 25 – Oct 1)
- China Open – ATP 500 (Sept 26 – Oct 2)
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Source : Sky Sports
