Jack Draper was pushed to his limits during his US Open defeat.
Jack Draper was consoled by his coach and physiotherapist after losing a gruelling semi-final to Jannik Sinner. The world No. 1 came through 7-5 7-6(3) 6-2 to reach the US Open final.
It was a massive physical test that saw both men struggle in the second set.
Jack Draper shared a moment with his team after his semi-final loss (Image: Sky Sports)
Draper threw up on the court moments before Sinner fell on his wrist and winced in pain. They were then seen by the doctor and physio respectively.
Draper’s first Grand Slam semi-final was an eventful one. The British No. 1 managed to stay with the top seed for more than two hours before falling away in the third. Mid-way through a dramatic, 87-minute second set, he vomited on court and cleaned it up himself.
But he left with nothing to show for his efforts in the score as Sinner came through in straight sets. Draper received a standing ovation as he departed Arthur Ashe Stadium, with his opponent also applauding him. But everything appeared to hit him as he had a moment to reflect in the locker room.
Behind the scenes, cameras showed the 22-year-old lying on a mat while his coach, James Trotman, and his physio, Will Herbert surrounded him. When Draper sat up, ‘Trots’ bent down to console him.
Jack Draper hopped on an exercise bike to cool down after the gruelling battle (Image: Sky Sports)
While watching the private moment, Tim Henman told Sky Sports: “Yeah it’s physical exhaustion and as we’ve all been saying, Jack gave it everything and Sinner just played the better tennis.
“If we’re going to discuss the sort of detail of the match, it was really about Sinner playing better tennis at the most important times. There was a few ebbs and flows in the first set – Jack lost his serve, Sinner then sort of dumped his serve, making four unforced errors.
“But at the end of the first set, end of the second set, it’s a lot of drama, obviously a lot of going on, but that was when when Sinner really showed his class with his ball-striking on both wings, making the rallies physical. And it was too much for Jack but Jack will learn so much about this and to be in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time is a huge stepping stone.”
Jack Draper and Jannik Sinner shared a warm embrace at the net (Image: Getty)
Draper then moved onto an exercise bike to cool down while his coaching team went on their phones. And Sinner’s girlfriend – WTA No. 15 Anna Kalinskaya – popped in for a chat while waiting for her partner to join them in the gym.
The world No. 1 had paid tribute to the top-ranked Brit after Draper left the court. Addressing the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, he said: “First of all, me and Jack, we know each other very well. We are good friends off the court. It was a very physical match as we see. I just tried to stay there mentally.
“He is so tough to beat. It’s a very special occasion, thanks everyone to come out. The support has been amazing and just happy to be in the final here.”
