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Jack Draper Silences Home Crowd With Italian Open Win Over Luciano Darderi
After an easy first set, Jack Draper had to fight hard in the second - Getty Images/Dan Istitene
Jack Draper clocked another clay-court victory – his seventh already this season – as he ousted home hope Luciano Darderi from Rome.
Totally dominant during the first set, Draper became tangled up in some long service games in the second.
With a raucous Italian crowd gathered around the Grand Stand Arena, the match could have become extremely complicated if Darderi had scored a break.
Happily, though, Draper saved all five break points with pinpoint serving, and then turned the tables on a disconsolate Darderi to close out a 6-1, 6-4 win in an economical 78 minutes.
“My concentration slipped a little bit,” said Draper after the win. “I started getting a bit flat. Then it was a dogfight. He picked up his energy and the crowd got behind him, so it got a bit tight there.”
Asked about all the fans who had been barracking against him, he replied: “I had experience of it in Australia this year, playing [Thanasi] Kokkinakis and [Aleksandar] Vukic. That was ten times crazier than this. More than anything, it was mentally tough after the last couple of weeks, coming out here again and having to face all of that, and just staying cool.”
Draper’s third-round opponent will be the little-known Vit Kopriva, the world No 92 from the Czech Republic.
07:39 PM BST
More Draper reaction
I knew it was going to be tough, especially after the past fortnight. I put a lot of energy into that, so coming here to different conditions, a different environment, I had to adapt quickly against a good player in a different atmosphere.
I thought I did a great job today of handling that, and hopefully as the rounds progress, I can keep on getting better.
07:28 PM BST
Draper reacts
I think I came out really well. I think mentally I knew it was going to be a little bit difficult and I’m glad about how I played in certain moments.
I think I needed a match here to feel like I was strong again and I just think it was a really good mental performance today.
07:13 PM BST
WATCH: The winning moment for Draper
Jack Draper secures the win ????
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 9, 2025
He progresses to the third round in Rome with a 6-1 6-4 win over Luciano Darderi ???? pic.twitter.com/PnGXQKsOoI
07:05 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 6-4 Darderi*
Pressure does funny things and Darderi is feeling it now after back-to-back errors. Another mistake by Darderi when he sends a ball long gives Draper set points in next to no time.
Darderi saves the first. Oh dear. Darderi double faults. And it’s all over.
GAME SET MATCH DRAPER!
07:01 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 5-4 Darderi
Eighth game of the set moves to 30-30 after a Draper forehand winner. But on the next point, he miscues and his forehand drifts long.
Darderi attempts a backhand pass, Draper is forced to stretch and makes the volley. Expertly done. Ace by Draper to finish and he is one game away from the semi-finals.
06:57 PM BST
‘It’s become a real arm-wrestle’
Five break points saved by Draper in this set, all with first serves. He’s still taking some heat when he misses that serve, though, as Darderi gets the crowd involved in this match. It’s become a real arm-wrestle after the first-set hammering.
06:57 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 4-4 Darderi*
Another Darderi service game comes and goes for Draper without a break point. He isn’t having as much joy on the Italian’s serve at the moment.
Darderi finishes the game with an exquisite backhand drop shot winner.
06:53 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 4-3 Darderi
Big cheers from the home crowd after Draper puts a forehand long, 15-30. Draper goes for a backhand down the line and just misses the line, break point Darberi.
World class from Draper as he slams down an ace to make it deuce. Forehand into the tramlines by Draper. Another break point for Darderi. Draper finds his first serve again and Darderi can’t make the return.
Draper backhand long open up another opportunity to break. But Draper closes the door with an ace. Loose backhand by Draper gives Darderi his fourth break point. Another Draper first serve is unreturned by Darderi.
Draper puffs his cheek as Darderi’s return goes long and he holds.
06:43 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 3-3 Darderi*
Another routine hold to 15 for Darderi. He has got the crowd on side and his belief is growing with every point on the board.
06:40 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 3-2 Darderi
Quickfire love hold for Draper. You get the impression that whatever Darderi has for him, he will be able to handle.
The temperature just dropped ????@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI25 | @jackdraper0pic.twitter.com/u7LIAwMygp
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2025
06:39 PM BST
‘Darderi certainly woke up’
Darderi certainly woke up and played some excellent stuff in that 10-minute service hold. The message to Draper is that he needs to keep a high percentage on his first serve. He has won just one of six second-serve points in the second set to date.
06:39 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 2-2 Darderi*
Darderi has finally arrived. This is much more of a match now. The Italian is swinging hard and gets rewarded. He holds to stay in touch with Draper.
06:32 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 2-1 Darderi
Darderi produces his best point of the match. For once he dictates the points and gets Draper on the move and playing deep behind the baseline. The Italian spots the chance to hit a drop shot and executes well, Draper gets there and flicks the ball down the line but Darderi is there to hit a forehand cross court and get the error.
Darderi is starting to feel it and take more risks. Finally putting Draper under pressure. Longest game of the match so far as we pass the seven minute mark.
Point of the match. The players take turns to take control of the rally but after 26 shots Darderi comes up big with a forehand down the line winner. Break point.
Draper sees out the danger with a much needed first serve. And he completes the hold with an overhead smash winner. Three games have taken 20 minutes. The first set took 24 minutes.
06:22 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 1-1 Darderi*
Darderi is trying to hit as hard as Draper but it is only resulting in more errors from his racket. Draper is making it look effortless with his ball striking, blasting his latest forehand winner to make it deuce.
But credit to Darderi, who comes through a testing game to hold.
06:18 PM BST
‘This is a positive shellacking’
Blimey, well if Raducanu’s win was one-sided, this is a positive shellacking. It’s impressive to see an Englishman dominating an Italian on the clay, a surface that continental players normally feel so much more comfortable on.
The challenge for Darderi now is to see if he can extend this match beyond the hour mark.
06:17 PM BST
Second set: Draper* 6-1, 1-0 Darderi
Another blink and you miss it service game from Draper. Darderi has no answer to the speed and power he is receiving from Draper.
06:12 PM BST
Draper 6-1 Darderi*
Groans from the crowd as another Darderi error gives Draper a set point. Draper drags Darderi wide of the court with his return, the Italian desperately gets there but nets his backhand.
Steely look by Draper as he walks to his chair after wrapping up the set in 24 minutes.
A dominant performance from Jack Draper as he takes the first set 6-1! ???? pic.twitter.com/PSTdOh52yq
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 9, 2025
06:08 PM BST
Draper* 5-1 Darderi
Small opening for Darderi after Draper nets a defensive backhand. Draper will want to find some first serves here. Draper opens up the court with his forehand and finishes at the net with a backhand volley winner, 30-30.
Wild forehand by Draper goes wide, break point Darderi. Timely first serve by Draper is unreturned by Darderi. Deuce.
Draper sees out the danger to consolidate the double break and move to within a game of the set.
06:03 PM BST
Draper 4-1 Darderi*
Frustration for Darderi after his backhand drifts long, 15-30. Another backhand long and Draper has two more break points.
Bang. At the first opportunity, Draper secures the double break with a crunching forehand winner down the line.
All too easy for the world No 5 right now. He will want to wrap this up as quick as possible.
OH MY WORD!
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2025
That is obscenely good from @jackdraper0 ????@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI25pic.twitter.com/VVCmTRnFlK
05:59 PM BST
Draper* 3-1 Darderi
Draper drops his first point on serve when he puts a forehand long, 30-15. Good defence by Darderi as he lifts a lob that drops on Draper’s baseline. After letting it bounce, Draper opts to hit a smash but his effort is just long, 30-30.
An ace by Draper seals the game and silences the crowd.
05:55 PM BST
Draper 2-1 Darderi*
Big round of applause for Darderi after winning his first point of the match, 15-0. Draper effortlessly steps inside the baseline and blasts a forehand return for a winner.
Longest rally of the match and Darderi hangs tough and Draper blinks first with a backhand wide, 40-15. Darderi successfully gets his first game of the match after a neat drop shot drags Draper forward and the Briton flicks his forehand wide.
05:51 PM BST
Draper* 2-0 Darderi
Early glimpse of the power Draper contains in his forehand. He is bullying Darderi at the moment, dragging all over the court and forcing mistakes.
A love hold and a 2-0 lead after four minutes.
05:49 PM BST
First set: Jack Draper 1-0 Luciano Darderi* (*denotes server)
Sharp start by Draper as he moves to 0-30. Darderi attempts an ambitious drop shot and nets. Three break point.
Draper is in attack mode and he crushes a backhand cross-court for a winner to break. Blistering start.
05:46 PM BST
Here we go!
Draper and Darderi walk onto court as the sun begins to set in Rome. The court is covered in shade and the floodlights are partially on.
Draper wins the coin toss and opts to receive serve first.
05:40 PM BST
Draper enjoying himself in Rome
05:32 PM BST
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05:26 PM BST
Draper returns to action
Hello and welcome to coverage from the Italian Open as Jack Draper begins his campaign in Rome.
The world No 5 is enjoying the best clay court season of his career so far, the highlight being a run to the Madrid Open final where he was beaten by Casper Ruud.
Nevertheless, Draper’s compatriots Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter have heaped praise on him.
“It’s amazing to see what he’s achieved and how much he’s done,” Raducanu said. “I know he’s a great tennis player and he [has] such a big stature that he can take the game out of anyone’s hands. For him to kind of dominate like he has been is really cool to see.”
“The first thing I do when I see him is I’m going to ask him how to play on clay,” Boulter added. “Some of the tennis he’s been putting out recently has been so impressive to see. Just seeing him so established — we’re talking about making finals at two Masters in the space of a month — that’s already so impressive, let alone to have one title and get your first one.”
This evening, Draper starts his tournament against Italy’s Luciano Darderi. Darderi, born in Argentina and raised in Italy, says he is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd.
“I love Rome, the atmosphere here is something amazing,” Darderi added. “There are a lot of people, and the Italian players love it.
“I was living in Rome for two years when I was younger, watching these matches. I remember I came to watch Zverev when I was 14, and playing last year against him on the centre court was something so special for me. I will try to do my best this year.”
