Jack Draper extended his notable recovery from an arm problem by defeating Francisco Cerundolo, earning a round‑of‑16 encounter with Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells.
Draper capitalised on a late surge in the second set to secure a 6‑1, 7‑5 victory and arrange his first face‑to‑face with Djokovic since he claimed the opening set from the defending champion during his Wimbledon debut in 2021.
Now 24, Draper came back after an eight‑month spell away from the ATP circuit in Dubai last week, and his triumph over Cerundolo represented the first occasion he has recorded back‑to‑back wins at the same event since Queen’s in June of the previous year.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Draper said: “I’m only just reaching the stage where I can play without arm pain, so it’s hard to feel fully confident. I’ve been playing a little, but I have to accept that my tennis won’t be completely back for some time.”
Draper sailed through the opening set but faced a strong challenge at the end of the second when Cerundolo held serve to equalise before losing his service game twice in a row, allowing the Briton to seize the crucial points.
He acknowledged that he will need to elevate his level for the long‑awaited rematch with Djokovic, who advanced to the fourth round for the first time since 2017 after edging Aleksandar Kovacevic 6‑4, 1‑6, 6‑4.
Draper added: “I’ve watched him since I was a child and, in my view, he is the greatest player ever. When you meet him you know he will be mentally present, that he will make it an extremely demanding match and produce extraordinary tennis. I’ll have to be prepared for that.”
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