US Open 2024: Jack Draper loses tough semi-final battle against Jannik Sinner
• 2 MINUTE READ
Jack Draper’s dream run at the US Open came to an end in the semi-finals at the hands of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, losing out in straight sets to the Australian Open champion.
Battling the top seed and intense humidity, the British No.1 gave it everything but eventually lost 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2 in three hours and three minutes.
He leaves Flushing Meadows having made his first Grand Slam semi-final and becoming only the fourth British man to do so at the US Open in the Open Era.
His incredible performances in New York have seen him rise to No.20 in the ATP live rankings - a new career-high.
Draper is the third player to have graduated from the LTA Pro Scholarship Programme, presented by Lexus to reach the final four at a major in the last four years – Emma Raducanu (US Open 2021), Cam Norrie (Wimbledon 2022) and Draper (2024).
Draper has been arguably the top server in New York this week, but it was the Italian who struck first in a gruelling test. He got the first break at 3-3 after a wild Draper forehand, but the 25th seed fired straight back thanks to four errors from the top seed.
However, the humidity proved testing for Draper as the edged towards the business end of the set. Having had 30-0 on his service game at 5-5, the Italian ground him down in the longer rallies and Draper was heavily sweating on court.
Facing a second break point of the game, the Brit hit a double fault to hand Sinner the advantage and the world No.1 went on to clinch the set.
Draper saved break points on three lengthy service games to start the second set and continued to take the fight to the Australian Open champion. The Brit was doing everything in his power to stay in contention and pushed himself to the point of vomiting on the court as they edged towards 4-4.
On the following game though, Sinner took a fall at the back of the court and landed badly on his left wrist – forcing him to take a medical time out and for a moment it looked like worrying signs for him.
Draper kept trying to test the Sinner backhand but as they approached the tie-break – the physical issues proved too difficult. Sinner won two tough tie-breaks against Tommy Paul earlier in the week and his ball-striking hit another level as he set Draper the near impossible task of overturning a two-set lead.
Despite everything he continued to grind out service games to start the third set, but with his first break point at 3-2, Sinner showed no mercy with a wicked backhand winner to move into an unassailable lead.
As the world No.1 cracked a final backhand return winner to wrap up the set, the two players embraced at the net, acknowledging the fight out on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 22-year-old is set to join up with the Lexus GB Davis Cup team next week in Manchester as they take on Finland, Argentina and Canada in the Group Stages. Tickets are still available from just £10.
