Jack Draper: British No 1 out of French Open after defeat to Alexander Bublik | Tennis News

Britain’s No 1 Jack Draper crashed out in the fourth round of the French Open after falling to a dominant Alexander Bublik on Monday.

The first set was a close contest, but Draper slowly became unravelled by top-quality tennis from the Kazakh, who constantly seemed one step ahead during the latter half of the match as he secured a 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 win over the Brit.

Bublik, the first Kazakh man to reach the quarter-finals stage of the Grand Slam, will now face Jannik Sinner in the following the World No 1’s 6-1 6-3 6-4 win over Andrey Rublev.

It meant an end to Britain’s hopes in the singles at Roland Garros after Cameron Norrie was beaten by Novak Djokovic about an hour earlier.

Draper had matched Bublik serve for serve in the first set until he was gifted the break for 6-5 by a double-fault.

The 23-year-old also broke at the start of the second, but from then on, things just seemed to unravel.

Bublik, to his credit, was hitting the ball gloriously at times, his drop shots repeatedly leaving Draper stranded.

The stress on Draper’s face was there for all to see as Bublik marched into a 2-1 set lead, with the Londoner simply unable to halt the momentum.

In a marathon final game, Draper saved a match point and had five break points, but was unable to take any of them.

Draper: Defeat hurts a lot

“It was a tough match. I didn’t play a good match, but I also didn’t play a bad match,” said Draper.

“I thought he played incredibly well. He didn’t allow me to play my tennis, I don’t think.

“I don’t think I’ve reached my best level this week. Then today just a couple of dips here and there, and he took advantage.

“Usually when you play someone like Alexander, he’s quite up and down with his level, but he was completely locked in.

“It hurts a lot, but I just move on. I’m hurt, and for sure I’m really disappointed. I had an opportunity today, and I missed my opportunity, for sure.

“I struggle to put things in perspective, but I think I am proud of the effort that I’ve done on the clay. I think I’ve really improved.

“I always use the lessons from my losses. I always use the fuel and the hurt to better myself.

“It will take a couple of days probably to get over it, but I will, and I’ll move on and keep on getting better.”

In the build-up to the match, Bublik had compared Draper to a UFC fighter, but after two hours and 34 minutes, it was the 6ft 5in underdog who landed the knockout blow.

“Sometimes in life there is only one chance, I had a feeling that was mine and I couldn’t let it slip,” Bublik said on TNT Sports.

“Standing here, it’s the best moment of my life, period. I’m standing here like I won the thing. What else can I say, I can’t cry here.

“I still have a match to go, I’m a professional tennis player, I have to get ready.”

Norrie limps out of French Open

Norrie limped out of the French Open after his best run at Roland Garros was ended by Djokovic claiming a 6-2 6-3 6-2 win.

At the changeover Djokovic needed treatment on the blister that flared up during his second-round win over Corentin Moutet.

Norrie then needed his medical time-out after seeming to tweak something in his foot, before he was promptly broken as Djokovic moved two sets up.

Another poor service game from Norrie gave Djokovic a foothold in the third and the 38-year-old duly wrapped up a comfortable win in a little over two hours.

Still, it has been a successful campaign for Norrie, who should find himself back in the world’s top 60 ahead of the grass season, having dipped as low as 91 following a rough couple of years.

Djokovic will face German third seed Alexander Zverev, who came through against Tallon Griekspoor after the Dutchman retired injured in the second set, in the quarter-finals.

Upset at Roland Garros

Elsewhere on Monday world No 361 Los Boisson stunned No 3 seed Jessica Pegula 3-6 6-4 6-4 as the wild card entry booked her spot in the quarter-finals.

She is comfortably the lowest-ranked woman to beat someone ranked in the top five at the French Open in 40 years.

The lowest previously in that span was No 179 Aniko Kapros, who eliminated No 5 Justine Henin in the first round in 2002.

Boisson also is the lowest-ranked woman to reach the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros since at least 1985.

“Thank you to all of you,” Boisson told the crowd in her post-match interview. “Playing on this court with such an atmosphere was really incredible.

“I’m really happy on here. I can stay a long time if you like.”

Boisson will now advance to face Mirra Andreeva in the quarters, while elsewhere Coco Gauff progressed with a 6-0 7-5 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova to set up a clash with Madison Keys.

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with NOW