Jack Draper suffered a disappointing first‑round loss at the Cincinnati Open, falling 6-3 7-5 to Spain's rising star Martin Landaluce after squandering six set‑point opportunities that could have leveled the match. The 24‑year‑old British player, still recovering from a recent injury, was unable to sustain the level of play he displayed earlier in the season, and the defeat left him visibly upset as he left the court. Just over a week earlier, Draper had been knocked out in the opening round in Montreal, also on his comeback trail after a period of time off due to a lingering left‑arm problem.
In Cincinnati he again struggled to find consistency, allowing the Spaniard to turn the tide despite an early lead. After losing the first game of the match and dropping the opening set, Draper rallied in the second set, breaking Landaluce twice to surge ahead 5-2 and appear poised to force a tiebreak. However, the momentum shifted dramatically as Landaluce saved six set points across three games, breaking Draper twice and pulling the score back to 5‑5.
Draper even faced a match point against him, but he managed to save it and create a chance of his own to push the set into a tiebreak. Unfortunately, his opponent held his nerve and closed out the match in just under two hours. The British player looked dejected in the final stages, though he did not appear to be suffering any acute physical distress on the court. In Montreal, Draper’s defeat to Terence Atmane was marked by a noticeable dip in the power of his groundstrokes during the third set, and he was seen in tears during a changeover.
Observers noted that the circumstances in Montreal suggested his left‑arm injury, which first flared in June 2025 and had already taken him as high as world No. 4, might have been aggravated.
Nonetheless, his swift return to practice in Cincinnati seemed to allay some of the concerns about his physical condition, at least superficially. Only Draper and his inner circle truly know the state of his body, but it is evident that he is far from the form that once made him a feared competitor on the tour. The upcoming US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, begins in New York on August 30, and the British star faces a daunting challenge to regain his fighting edge before then. Speaking to the Guardian, Draper summed up his frustration: "It's the same as last week – the way I usually fight for every ball and conduct myself is just missing.
The conditions and all the changes I'm trying to manage are very hard, and internally it's a difficult place to be right now. It feels like I've lost one of my biggest qualities, my fighting spirit. There's a chronic pain that stays with you, especially when it's in your playing arm. This is my life, my career.
When you have an injury that's tough to overcome and hard to understand, there are countless challenges and obstacles." The emotional toll of his recent setbacks was palpable, but Draper also hinted at a determination to work through the pain and regain his confidence. His comments reflect a broader narrative in professional tennis where players must constantly adapt to injuries, surface changes, and the mental strain of high‑stakes competition.
Meanwhile, fellow British player Cameron Norrie continued to showcase his resilience. Norrie fought back from a set down to defeat Croatia's Dino Prizmic 3-6 6-1 6-4 in a match that also lasted just under two hours.
After enduring a six‑match losing streak that included a first‑round exit at Wimbledon, Norrie has found a resurgence on hard courts, highlighted by a semi‑final appearance at the Los Cabos Open in Mexico and a quarter‑final run at the Masters 1000 event in Montreal. However, his path in Cincinnati grows steeper as he prepares to meet top seed Alexander Zverev, who awaits him in the second round after a first‑round bye. The Cincinnati Open continues to deliver dramatic storylines, from Draper's emotional exit to Norrie's gritty comeback, underscoring the physical and mental demands of the ATP tour.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, stream via NOW, or use the Sky Sports app for comprehensive coverage, including scores, highlights, and in‑depth analysis of upcoming matches leading up to the US Open.