De Minaur edges Draper in thrilling Japan Open battle, Fritz dominates Norrie

Posted : 17 October 2023

The Japan Open witnessed a nail-biting clash between Jack Draper and Alex de Minaur, lasting a grueling three hours. Draper, a qualifier with an impressive track record this year, took an early lead, even serving for the match at 5-4 in the final set. However, world No. 13 Alex de Minaur eventually triumphed with a hard-fought score of 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(1). De Minaur's win sets the stage for an exciting encounter with either Francisco Cerundolo or Diego Schwartzman in the next round.

Jack Draper's journey has been nothing short of remarkable, with victories over top players like Hubert Hurkacz, Karen Khachanov, Tommy Paul, and the legendary Andy Murray this year. This match marked his return to the ATP Tour after reaching the last 16 of the US Open, following a stint in ATP Challenger events in France. Draper's performance mirrored his previous encounter with De Minaur at Wimbledon in 2022 when he also secured the first set.

The second set saw Draper initially seize a 2-0 lead, displaying exceptional skill and agility. However, De Minaur made a strong comeback with a four-game run to lead 4-2. Despite Draper's efforts to level the score, a tight tie-breaker favored De Minaur. The deciding third set remained fiercely contested until the ninth game, where Draper broke to lead 5-4.

However, he struggled with cramps and couldn't serve out the victory, allowing De Minaur to dominate the tie-breaker and secure the win with an ace. De Minaur's determination keeps him in the race for a spot in the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, currently sitting in 13th place in the standings, just 560 points behind the eighth-placed Holger Rune.

On another court at the Japan Open, British No. 1 Cameron Norrie faced top seed Taylor Fritz and was defeated in straight sets, with a final score of 6-4, 6-3. Despite a promising start with an early lead in the first set, Norrie lost four consecutive games, conceding the opener. Fritz's dominance was evident in the second set, as he stormed to a 3-0 lead and sealed the match.

This victory further solidified Fritz's position in the Race to Turin standings, where he currently ranks ninth. Meanwhile, British No. 2 Dan Evans is set to compete against Filip Misolic at the Stockholm Open, promising another exciting tennis showdown.

De Minaur edges Draper in thrilling Japan Open battle, Fritz dominates Norrie

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