Jack Draper has spoken candidly about the emotional toll he experienced following the Cincinnati Open, where he faced accusations of cheating. Draper, who defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime before losing to Holger Rune in the quarter-finals, was criticized after a controversial point during his match against Auger-Aliassime. In a pivotal moment, Draper hit a volley that bounced awkwardly and was ruled fair by the chair umpire, despite Auger-Aliassime’s protests.
The incident led to allegations of dishonesty and left Draper troubled. Reflecting on the ordeal, Draper revealed, “I was thinking about it four days non-stop. I was really upset by it – like I said, it’s something I really think is more important than anything, it’s respect, it’s honesty, it’s fair play and all this sort of stuff.”
He continued, “I think anyone would be lying if they’re saying they’re not hurt by seeing a lot of comments saying you’re a cheat, you’re a liar.” Draper also shared that the situation was his first encounter with significant negativity and criticism in his career, acknowledging, “It’s hard in that situation to know what to do and also it’s good because it’s my first experience of having negativity and having criticism, and that’s all part of being a top athlete.”
Despite the controversy, Draper remains focused on his performance and integrity as he prepares for the US Open.
Jack Draper in 2024
Now ranked no.25 (career-high), Draper played his last match on the 17th of August when he was overcome by world no.15 Holger Rune 6-4 6-2 in the quarter in Cincinnati (draw).
At the moment, during this season Draper owns a compiled 25-17 match record. This year, Jack won 1 tournament in Stuttgart. The Brit reached the final in Adelaide.
Jack Draper will come up against the world no.364 Lucas Poullain in the final. The head to head is 2-0 for Poullain.
The Brit has won 1 title in 2024 in Stuttgart. The Brit was the finalist in Adelaide (Adelaide International).
Jack Draper |
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