US Open: ‘Strong Jack Draper has a lot to enhance however his draw is vast open say Tim Henman, Martina Navratilova, Feliciano Lopez and Laura Robson | Tennis Information

Britain’s Jack Draper is thru to the final 16 on the US Open and has completed so with out dropping a set.

Greater than that, he is solely been damaged simply as soon as in all three video games, most not too long ago dispatching of Carlos Alcaraz’s conqueror Botic van de Zandschulp in straight units on Saturday 6-3 6-4 6-2.

Draper subsequent faces 23-year-old Czech Tomas Machac for a spot within the quarter-finals, with Draper’s kind, confidence and the chance that has opened in his part of the draw giving him the prospect of a lifetime to maybe style Grand Slam glory.

Third seed Carlos Alcaraz and seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz have been dumped out of Draper’s part already, with tenth seed Alex de Minaur the highest-ranked participant remaining in a piece the place one participant will attain the semi-finals.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic has already been knocked out too in a match of upsets, with Sky Sports activities Tennis analysts Tim Henman and Laura Robson declaring the chance Draper now has in entrance of him.

“We’ve looked at that section of the draw, and it has opened up,” Henman mentioned.

“It is simply so vital that he [Draper] actually stays targeted on his preparation and efficiency, and does not get forward of himself.

“They [players in this section of the draw] will all be aware this is a big opportunity.”

Robson added: “It’s wide open. Jordan Thompson took out the other high seed in this section, beating Hubert Hurkacz, and for De Minaur to be the highest ranked, I think that’s an opening for a lot of players.

“Particularly for Jack if we’re getting excited and searching forward.

“De Minaur hasn’t been totally healthy leading up to this tournament, he’s still been struggling with his hip and hasn’t really played since Wimbledon.

“It looks like an opportunity.”

Draper medical {and professional}, however a lot to enhance

Draper’s speedy ideas courtside after victory over Van de Zandschulp have been that he was “solid but scrappy” and “a little bit up and down”.

It was a sentiment shared by Sky Sports activities analysts Martina Navratilova and Feliciano Lopez, in addition to Henman and Robson, with the Brit’s attacking play on the web, volleys and first-serve proportion all areas talked about as requiring enchancment.

“Jack [Draper] really played a very grown-up match. He knew where the big points were, he concentrated, he defended his serve great,” Navratilova mentioned.

“Van de Zandschulp won one of 10 break points. That’s how well Jack defended his serve. Twice he aced him in the same spot on break points.

“Botic had his chances, but Jack played the big points so much better, and he won five of his eight break points. All the important stats, Jack was better.

“If the conversion is totally different on the break factors, Botic can win in straight units. However as a substitute it was a really easy efficiency from Jack. Simply actually stable.”

Lopez added: “He [Draper] performed a really mature {and professional} match, and that is the match that he wanted to play.

“He’s in a great position now. He’s entering the second week of a Grand Slam without losing a set, he has lost his serve only once.

“The physical condition of a player is very important and always plays an important role when it comes to Grand Slams. It’s great news he’s going to be in great shape entering the second week.

“He reached the fourth spherical final yr, so this yr he could also be going just a little bit additional I believe.

“I’d like to see him more at the net. I think he feels comfortable beating most of the players recently from the back of the court, but this is not the way he has to play all the time.

“He is such an enormous man, if he went to the online just a little bit extra, it could be so robust for his opponents to hit passing photographs. He can cowl the online very properly.

“He has a good touch. Still a lot of improvement in his game, but he looks in a great moment in his career. I really like Jack. He looks very composed, and has settled down, and I think it’s a good sign.”

Robson informed Sky Sports activities Tennis: “It was solid. I think the scoreline doesn’t necessarily tell you the full story of the match, especially the first set and the fact he [Draper] faced so many break points.

“He managed to get by way of them, and I believe he was being a bit cussed at occasions going for a similar serve that he was lacking, and attempting to flatten it out, as a substitute of sticking to the serve that was working so properly.

“When he was under pressure, you saw him go to the spots that serve him so well. All in all, he’ll be happy to get through that in two hours and 15 minutes. It wasn’t a super hard match.

“I assumed he may have come into the online extra. And one factor is his first volley wants a bit of labor. He went an excessive amount of for the drop volley, and it simply turned predictable.

“But he’ll be happy to be through to the second week, and Jack just looks so confident these days.

“It’s fun that he’s rolled through to the second week and we can talk about what he could have done so much better today.

“The truth that he hit 103 serves as we speak in comparison with Botic who hit 70, and that takes it out of your arm just a little bit greater than you’d need at this stage of the match. The actual fact he is by way of is most vital.”

Henman added: “If you mirror on it as an entire, it is fairly routine. In his three matches to date, he hasn’t actually been in too many tough conditions, and we now have to recollect Van de Zandschulp has simply knocked out Carlos Alcaraz. He was a unique participant as we speak and did not play as properly.

“Jack was very professional, kept his intensity and the first set was 6-3 but was a lot closer than that.

“With that leftie serve firing on all cylinders, by the end of the match Van de Zandschulp didn’t know where Draper was going to go.

“He was so stable, Jack will likely be completely delighted together with his efficiency.

“Also, when you reflect on the match, there’s still plenty he can do better. His first-serve percentage in the first set was 41, and that’s why in three or four service games he was under pressure.

“With the volleys, he appears to bend from his waist just a little bit reasonably than his knee. That is nonetheless a participant that has a number of enhancing to do, and he is by way of to the fourth spherical. It is good.”

What’s developing on Sky Sports activities Tennis in September?

• Jasmin Open, Tunisia – WTA 250 (9-15 September)
• Guadalajara Open, Mexico – WTA 500 (9-15 September)
• Korea Open – WTA 500 (16 -22 September – with Emma Raducanu in motion)
• Thailand Open – WTA 250 (16 -22 September)
• Chengdu Open, China – ATP 250 (18-24 September)
• Hangzhou Open, China – ATP 250 (18-24 September)
• China Open – WTA 1000 (Sept 25 – Oct 6)
• Japan Open – ATP 500 (Sept 25 – Oct 1)
• China Open – ATP 500 (Sept 26 – Oct 2)

Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and will likely be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this yr at no further price. Discover out extra right here.