Jack Draper came from a set down in the Stuttgart Open final to defeat 2-time champion Matteo Berrettini to win the first ATP Tour title of his career. The new British No. 1 has played in three ATP tour-level finals, two of which were this season. He lost the Sofia Open in 2023 to Adrian Mannarino before falling in the Adelaide International final to Jirí Lehecka.
After the final in Stuttgart, Jack Draper said in the interview:
“It is incredible. Thanks for all the support. It was a really tough match and I am really happy to win my first title. It means so much to me. There has been a lot of hard work and a lot of tough moments. It’s been up and down but I’m really glad with the way I played, and it’s a testament to the work I have been doing. I have to play in London on Tuesday. In tennis, there is not a lot of time to celebrate.”
Berrettini Takes A 1st Set Lead
Matteo Berrettini played a huge service game in the first set, capitalizing on heavy serve and volley combos. After breezing through the first two service games, Matteo Berrettini then went on to capitalize on a Jack Draper double fault on three breakpoints to secure a 3-1 lead in the set.
Berrettini went into overdrive on his forehand, sealing a relatively comfortable hold of his serve for a 4-1 lead. Both players then stayed on serve, till Matteo Berrettini served the set off to a 6-3 first-set win.
Jack Draper Equalizes With A Tiebreak
Jack Draper took the first game of the second set after a confident service game. Draper then grabbed Berrettini’s game by the scruff of the neck, clawing back to deuce from two game points down. Berrettini ended up winning the next two points to take his game.
Both players then had two confident service games to play to a 2-2 second set scoreline. What followed were two top-class service games, quick and efficient, taking the set to 3-3. Solid service continued until the 10th game when Jack Draper grabbed two set and breakpoints which Berrettini saved.
The Italian then produced two breakpoints on the Brit’s serve in the 11th game. Draper then forced his way back to deuce before holding his serve. Both players then served into a tiebreak which Jack Draper took 7-5.
Berrettini Blinks 1st For Draper To Capitalize
In for minutes, Matteo Berrettini served out the first game of the third set. Jack Draper then served out the second game of the set after a fairly shaky start to level the set 1-1. Draper’s powerful forehand winner to claw a point back from 30-0 down on Berrettini’s serve wasn’t enough as the Italian held serve with a powerful forehand display.
The two service games that came after were routine service holds for Jack Draper and Matteo Berrettini. On Draper’s serve at 3-2, the Brit had to claw back from 0-30 down to force through a deuce and a breakpoint to hold his serve. At 30-30 on Berrettini’s serve in the next game, Draper produced two efficient winners in succession to steal the advantage in the set.
Draper then raced to a hold of his serve to love to consolidate his third set lead at 5-3. In the ninth game, it was Berrettini’s turn to race to a hold of his serve to love to force Draper to have to serve out the set. The new British No. 1 then raced to a 40-0 lead and sealed the Libema Open championship with an ace and win his first ATP Tour title.
Note:
Jack Draper will next feature in the Queen’s Club Championships against Mariano Navone in the first round.
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