‘Bamboozled’ Draper recovers to reach Rome quarters

Britain’s Jack Draper recovered from being “bamboozled” by Corentin Moutet in a lively match to reach the Italian Open quarter-finals.

Draper battled fatigue and the shot-making variety of his French opponent to come through 1-6 6-4 6-3 in just over two hours in Rome.

The 23-year-old looked lost in the first set but regrouped admirably, including keeping his composure after a brief drama over a video review.

Moutet called for the technology after he felt Draper hit the ball into the ground, but was unhappy with the angles he was shown.

Draper was awarded the point and showed excellent grit to take the set and ultimately the match.

“At one point I was looking at the slides I’d been doing – I was covering the whole court, I don’t know what was going on. I’ve got a dizziness from it,” world number five Draper told Sky Sports.

“I’m proud of my efforts today. I was a bit bamboozled in the start, I haven’t played someone like that ever.

“There’s no doubt I came out a bit all over the place today – but I’m in the quarter-finals now and there’s no time to be tired.”

It has been a superb season so far for Draper, claiming a maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, improving his fitness and finding another level of power behind his shots.

But he was the weaker player in the first set, capable of out-hitting Moutet but too often dragged out of position.

He hit 15 unforced errors to four from Moutet, who sealed the opening set with an emphatic ace.

Draper jogged to his chair at the end of the set to try and find some energy, often shouting “Jack, come on!” after an error and berating himself.

He steadied himself well after the video review, requested by Moutet at 4-3 in the second set. The video showed Draper had got his racquet head to the ball, with the frame causing the ball to bobble awkwardly and draw the error out of Moutet’s forehand in response.

Moutet briefly argued with the umpire and, perhaps distracted, played a poor next service game to be broken and allow Draper to serve for the set.

The Frenchman looked to have recovered when he broke Draper back to love, but Draper kept up the pressure and forced a deciding set on a long lob, with the Briton cupping his hand to his ear, urging more support.

Both served well in the third set but fatigue again played a part, with Moutet forced to take a medical timeout at 4-3 down after struggling with his thigh.

Draper promptly broke in the next game and then served out the match, closing it out with a well-timed serve and volley.

“I had a word with myself after the first set – I needed to really knuckle down and focus and I knew his level wasn’t really going to drop,” Draper added.

“I came out in the second set and fought for every point and found a way in the end to pick up my level.”

Earlier, British pair Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski advanced in the doubles, beating India’s Rohan Bopanna and Czech Adam Pavlasek 6-3 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.