Draper rues ‘missed opportunity’ after Bublik loss

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

After being unexpectedly defeated by world number 62 Alexander Bublik, British Open champion Jack Draper claims he had a “missed opportunity” to reach the quarter-finals.

The 23-year-old received a reality check when Bublik, the second-lowest player in the draw, won 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, and 6-4.

The maverick Kazakh produced one of his best performances of his career, but Draper lost his way.

Draper, who has never won a French Open match before this year, described it as “a really tough loss.”

“It’s been a steep learning curve for me, despite the fact that I’ve improved significantly this year and achieved a high ranking.

The British number one was largely anticipated to keep up his explosive rise on clay and advance to a potential quarter-final against Jannik Sinner, who had earlier defeated Andrey Rublev in the last 16 match.

However, Bublik made numerous spectacular shots, particularly using the drop-shot to great effect, in his perfect victory.

Draper’s worst ranking loss since his first-round exit at Roland Garros last year.

After a tense finish, 27-year-old Bublik eventually crossed the line after being only allowed to lose one match point and save five break points.

According to Bublik, who was ranked as high as 17th in 2024, “Sometimes there is only one chance, and today, I believe it was mine.”

I was unable to let it go. It’s probably the best time of my life, in my opinion.

How far Draper has come in the last year is reflected in a shock loss in Roland Garros’ last 16.

The Englishman still figuring out what his most effective game style was after a humiliating first-round defeat to the 176th-ranked Dutchman Jesper de Jong in Paris a year ago.

Draper realized he was trying to be too aggressive and sought a better balance.

Prior to the US Open semi-finals, he had his first ATP title just a few weeks later, which increased his self-assurance.

A significant factor in this was the increase in fitness.

He quickly set about using his most potent tools, first serve and forehand, on the clay after earning the biggest title of his career on the Indian Wells’ hard courts in March.

The fifth seed played maturely in his first three matches in Paris before being thrown off-kilter by Bublik, which showed he had the ability to succeed on the surface.

I find it difficult to put things into perspective, but I’m proud of what I did on the clay. “Draper said, “I think I’ve really improved.

I’ve qualified for the fourth round and am consistently playing really good tennis week in and week out, which means I’m leaving number five in the world this year.

Bublik’s talent is unquestionable, but his application has received numerous questions.

Before Draper applied pressure in the tenth game, he was unbroken from the beginning of an evenly matched opening set where neither player had a chance to break.

Draper had the opportunity to serve out the opening set but Bublik stumbled, and the Briton took his.

However, Bublik recovered from an early break down to level the match when Draper’s level dropped in the second set.

In the third set, Draper appeared increasingly perplexed as he attempted to find a way to increase his lead as a result of the drop-shot’s increasing use and success.

Draper was defeated at his own game when Bublik attempted 37 drop-shots, leading to 12 victories, despite successfully using the tactic in his previous encounter with Joao Fonseca.

However, a bathroom break before the fourth set, as Draper’s serve was broken in the opening game and his late rally prevented him from regaining the lead, was in vain.

“I don’t play many games where I feel as though the situation is beyond my control,” Draper said.

Top players do that, they say. You feel very uneasy and unable to accomplish much because of them. He did that right now.