Cincinnati
Draper escapes Tsitsipas in Cincinnati, Shelton saves MP
The 21-year-old Shelton survives after practically three hours
August 15, 2024
Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour
Jack Draper defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas after two hours, 20 minutes in Cincinnati.
By ATP Employees
Jack Draper survived a three-set thriller Thursday on the Cincinnati Open, the place he fought off ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 to succeed in the Spherical of 16.
The British lefty broke Tsitsipas to like in a dramatic sport at 4-5 within the deciding set, throughout which the Greek
misplaced a primary serve when he acquired a time violation at 0/30. Tsitsipas then double faulted, giving Draper three break factors, however the 22-year-old solely wanted one forehand cross to stage the set and deflate Tsitsipas’ momentum.
“Since coming from the Olympics I have not discovered my finest tennis… however I have been looking for a approach and I confirmed my grit and willpower to return by in the present day,” Draper mentioned. “Every day I play and get a possibility to return out and play once more the higher I really feel. I really feel nice bodily and look ahead to preserve it going.”
Draper now leads Tsitsipas 2-0 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection. The Stuttgart champion additionally beat the 11-time tour-level titlist on the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 occasion in 2022.
“Stefanos is such a troublesome competitor, so I needed to be there each level and be able to compete,” mentioned Draper, who dedicated 24 unforced errors to Tsitsipas’ 38. “Dropping my service after which coming again within the ultimate three video games means the world to me and helps quite a bit mentally.”
Up subsequent for the World No. 28 within the PIF ATP Rankings is seventh seed Casper Ruud or Felix Auger-Aliassime.
In different Cincinnati three-set motion, Ben Shelton saved a match level to beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7(6), 7-6(7), 6-3 after two hours, 52 minutes. The Argentine had a match level on serve at 7/6 within the second-set tie-break, after Shelton had three consecutive set factors from 6/3.
No onerous emotions? 😂😅
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— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 15, 2024
“This was a tough match for me as a result of I began so sizzling. So to lose that first set after the best way that I used to be taking part in, a number of set factors, up a break,” Shelton mentioned. “Then I had enormous possibilities within the second that I ended up coming by on. Sort of simply needed to battle it out and keep there. I ended up squeaking out the second set and rolling within the third.
“These are the forms of wins that actually propel you. Those the place you’re examined, again in opposition to the wall and also you come by within the huge moments. That’s what’s actually essential to me about this one.”
Shelton will subsequent face Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, who earlier upset eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
