Jack Draper falls to defeat in Monte-Carlo Masters last-16
Fifth seed Draper struggled with his serve in the Principality, accounting for 10 double faults during the 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-4 loss.
Jack Draper crashed out at the last-16 stage of the Monte-Carlo Masters following a three-set defeat to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Fifth seed Draper, who dispatched Marcos Giron in a comfortable 6-1 6-1 victory on Tuesday, struggled with his serve in the Principality, accounting for 10 double faults during the 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-4 loss.
“Today I didn’t feel at my best or at my best mentally with my strategy,” Davidovich Fokina said on court after the win, in which he made 57 unforced errors to his opponent’s 46.
“It was a rollercoaster with my mind, I didn’t know how to control the emotions and I didn’t respect myself or my team.
“I am so sorry with how I did today and I am happy with the win and I will be ready for tomorrow.
“Today, Jack could have won because he was playing better than me, I was struggling with every point but I knew how to stay on my serve and try with all my body in the last game, I am happy with how I did in the last game.”
The Briton was playing catch up throughout the first set after falling 2-0 down, only to level at 2-2 with two flawless games.
However, he dropped his serve in the eighth game and Davidovich Fokina converted immediately to seal the first set 6-3.
The second set followed a similar pattern with the 23-year-old falling behind 3-1, but he clawed his way back level with a break of serve.
Davidovich took the set to a tie-break and had a match point when 6-5 before the Briton held his nerve to stake the next three points and level the tie.
The final set saw the Spaniard take control once more as he moved 3-1 clear in the decider, with Draper breaking serve in the fifth game to restore parity.
Draper served at 5-4 in to try to salvage the tie but a 10th and final double fault consigned him to defeat.
Later in the day, number two seed Carlos Alcaraz beat Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-1 to book a match against France’s Arthur Fils.
The Spaniard bounced back after a shaky display against Francisco Cerundolo on Wednesday where he dropped the opening set before hitting back to win.
“Honestly it was difficult because Daniel is playing great and he’s a solid player,” Alcaraz said.
“I’m happy to be on clay again, it’s been a good season so far, I love playing on clay because it’s a surface I grew up playing on. I’m playing Fils for the first time, it will be difficult and an intense match.”
Alejandro Tabilo’s hopes of further progress after beating Novak Djokovic ended with defeat to Grigor Dimitrov, the veteran 15th seed coming through 6-3 3-6 6-2.
Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas – who has lifted the Monte Carlo title three times in four years – coasted past Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-1 6-1 in just over an hour.
Fourth seed Casper Ruud, though, is out after the world number seven, last year’s runner-up, lost in three sets to Australian Alexei Popyrin, 6-4 3-6 7-5.
Alcaraz will next play Arthur Fils, who beat former tournament winner Andrey Rublev 6-2 6-3 while Lorenzo Musetti saw off fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-3.
