Jack Draper overcame a shaky start to defeat Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in a four-set comeback at the French Open, winning 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-2. Draper struggled early, hitting double faults and trailing 5-1 in the first set before Bellucci served it out. But Draper rebounded in dominant fashion, taking the second set in under 30 minutes. The third was tightly contested, but Draper held his early break, then surged ahead in the fourth, breaking Bellucci twice to seal the win.
Draper next faces the winner of Gael Monfils and Hugo Dellien. Speaking courtside, he praised Bellucci’s aggressive start and expressed pride in adapting and turning the match around.
Fellow Brit Cam Norrie delivered a dramatic five-set victory over 11th-seed Daniil Medvedev, winning 7-5 6-3 4-6 1-6 7-5. Norrie surged ahead early, but Medvedev responded with a strong third and dominant fourth set. In the fifth, Norrie broke Medvedev twice late in the set to claim a stunning win, marking his first over the Russian.
Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic beat Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-3 6-3, Alexander Zverev downed Learner Tien 6-3 6-3 6-4, and Alex de Minaur edged Laslo Djere 6-3 6-4 7-6(6). In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff cruised past Olivia Gadecki 6-2 6-2 despite initially forgetting her rackets, while Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula also advanced.
Swifteradio.com
