NEW YORK: English player Jack Draper sealed the second round with a straight-set win against World No. 17 Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday at the US Open.
In Winston-Salem last week, the Draper withdrew in the second round of his first tournament back on the Tour after missing three months due to a shoulder injury.
The 21-year-old clinched victory against Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, and 7-5.
“I feel physically good. I haven’t had match exposure for a long time, so I’m still sort of managing my body,” Draper said after the match as quoted by ATP’s official website.
Draper said that he still feels a little bit sore, however, he will do his best as it is the Grand Slam title.
“Still getting a little bit sore. Obviously, it’s a Grand Slam, as well. You have to push your body and know that if you need to go four or five sets, you need to be ready. And I was today. I feel good,” he further said.
“With regards to my shoulder, I’m kind of looking after it each day. It was a bit sore after my last match but when the adrenaline kicks in and obviously playing the US Open, so, you know, just put it out of my mind and go out and try my best to play the tennis I want to,” the English player added.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov defeated former World No. 1 Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the third round of the US Open after seven years of their encounter.
Murray and Dimitrov last faced off in the Beijing championship match of 2016, with Murray winning as the No. 2 player in the world. In their rematch in 2023, the 32-year-old player improved to 4-8 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series by putting on a clean-hitting performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
On the other hand, Michael Mmoh defeated his countryman John Isner 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, and 7-6(7) after three hours, 56 minutes. (ANI)