Alcaraz through to Australian Open quarters after Draper retires
MELBOURNE : Carlos Alcaraz reached his second Australian Open quarter-final after injury-hampered opponent Jack Draper retired while trailing 7-5 6-1 on Sunday.
Third seed Alcaraz was well on top in the afternoon match at Rod Laver Arena when Briton Draper decided he could not continue with the troublesome hip he had managed through three five-set matches at the tournament.
"This is not the way that I want to get through to the next round. I'm just happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia," Alcaraz said on court.
"But really sorry for Jack. He doesn't deserve to get injured."
It was the second time Draper had retired injured against Alcaraz, having cut short their 2023 match at Indian Wells due to an abdominal strain.
Draper said he felt his hip tendinitis worsen after the third game and worried the injury was like a "ticking time-bomb".
"I just need to be sensible because there is no escape from it, especially here or whatever, you know, the tennis schedule is so tight," he said.
French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz will meet the winner of 10-times champion Novak Djokovic and Jiri Lehecka, who were playing in the evening session.
Draper had plans to train with Alcaraz in southern Spain during the off-season but had to cancel them and pull out of the United Cup team event because of the hip problem.
Yet he would have hoped to give Alcaraz a proper match, having proved a handful for the Spaniard previously.
Draper upset Alcaraz on grass at Queen's last year and took a set off him in their first meeting at Basel in 2022.
FRUSTRATED ALCARAZ
On a hot day at Melbourne Park on Sunday, the 23-year-old Briton dropped serve in the sixth game but broke back to 5-4, leaving a frustrated Alcaraz ranting at the chair umpire about towels and serve clocks.
But while the Spaniard was still in search of his best tennis, Draper gifted him two set points with a wild forehand error.
The Briton saved one with a rush to the net and a volley into the corner but was picked off on the second as a sprinting Alcaraz whipped a forehand passing shot down the line.
The Spaniard's momentum was stalled briefly when Draper called for a trainer and exited the court for a long medical time-out.
When play resumed, however, Alcaraz roared through the second set in 38 minutes.
A physio went to Draper's chair, the Briton shook his head and then shook Alcaraz's hand, triggering groans from the centre court crowd.
"I’m just happy with the level I’m playing on the court and feeling really comfortable here in Australia," said Alcaraz, who is bidding to become the youngest man to win all four Grand Slam titles.
"Physically I’m feeling great coming into the second week."
Alcaraz left a note for Britain's number one Draper on a camera lens before exiting the court.
"You will be where you deserved. Get well soon Jack," it read.
Draper said he would probably need to manage his hip throughout his career and was not considering a break from the game.
"All tennis injuries or most injuries in sport, unless it's a freak accident, are all load management," he said.
"Obviously here I have come and I played a ridiculous amount of tennis and I have broken down."
