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Draper had impressed so far this clay-court season but was up against a specialist on the surface - Getty Images /Dan Istitene
Jack Draper’s involvement in the Italian Open is over after the British No 1 lost in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz at the quarter-final stage.
Draper was defeated 6-4, 6-4 as Alcaraz saved a series of break points before breaking serve when it most mattered.
Draper, 23, who is fifth in the ATP rankings, squandered a 4-2 lead in the first set as the Spaniard rallied with a series of superb ground-strokes and drop shots to win four matches in a row and take the opening set.
The Englishman improved markedly in the second, repeatedly holding serve with ease and putting pressure on the Alcaraz serve.
But Draper failed to exploit the two break points he worked so hard on the clay to fashion and his opponent, after coming through a lengthy eighth game to hold, kicked on to clinch victory.
Alcaraz, the French Open champion, will next face either home favourite Lorenzo Musetti or Alexander Zverev in the semi-final.
More to follow...
04:12 PM BST
Alcaraz: I played ‘happy’ tennis
Carlos Alcaraz has been talking to Sky Sports about his victory over Jack Draper.
“The most important thing I did was not to think about the result, just focus on the things that make me happy, hitting good shots, drop shots and playing aggressive tennis.
“I played in a high rhythm and didn’t want to stay too long in the rallies. I’m really proud of the way I approached the match.
“I feel like I play really good tennis on clay, I’m just happy to feel in the good rhythm after picking an injury in Barcelona and I’m just happy I won.”
04:02 PM BST
Creditable display from Draper
That was a tough defeat to take for Draper.
Alcaraz was the better player in the first set, demonstrating a wonderful selection of quality ground-strokes and drop shots.
But Draper had Alcaraz on the ropes in almost every one of his service games in the second set, when the Spaniard’s level clearly dropped, but the Briton could not find the knock-out punch.
The World No 3 – and soon-to-be No2 – showed all of his best battling qualities to hold serve in some long games and then struck four ruthless blows in that final game – one of the rare occasions in the set Draper let his guard down.
On balance it has been a positive tournament for Draper, who will take the learnings from this into Roland Garros.
03:56 PM BST
ALCARAZ WINS: Draper 4-6, 4-6 Alcaraz* (denotes server)
Alcaraz is serving for the match.
Another drop shot has Draper scampering to the net. He reaches the ball but sends it long. 15-0.
A misjudgement from the Spaniard on his forehand and it’s 15-15.
A torpedo serve and backhand pass makes it 30-15.
Draper nets with a cross-court backhand. Match point.
Draper looks in charge of the next point but a net cord from Alcaraz changes the momentum of the rally.
The Briton goes wide with his attempted winner. And that’s game, set and match Alcaraz.
Alcaraz holds serve.
Alcaraz wins match 6-4, 6-4.
03:50 PM BST
Draper* 4-6, 4-5 Alcaraz (denotes server)
All of a sudden, from nowhere, Draper loses a service game to love
Alcaraz, after coming though such a testing previous game, goes for all of his shots in this one – and they all land.
A particularly audacious drop shot hits the side line to clich the game and leave him serving for the match.
What must Draper be thinking? He has gone toe-to-toe with Alcaraz throughout this set.
Alcaraz breaks serve.
03:47 PM BST
Draper 4-6, 4-4 Alcaraz* (denotes server)
Alcaraz takes the first point after forcing Draper wide with his serve and then going down the line.
But the Spaniard then sends a regulation backhand long for 15-all.
Draper nets his return. Disappointing. 30-15.
Alcaraz throws in another double-fault. 30-all.
Draper mistimes a forehand and it’s too short. Meat and drink for Alcaraz to put away. 40-30.
This time it’s Draper who goes for the drop-shot. About time. It’s not the best attempt in the world but it forces Alcaraz to the net and he then wrong-foots the Spaniard by going down the line. Clever tennis. Deuce.
Draper goes long after a short rally to hand Alcaraz a get-out-of-jail-free card.
But the Spaniard is now looking fallible. And he nets. Deuce.
Big game this one.
And Alcaraz hits a brave, ferocious second serve on the service line but then misses the most basic of volleys on the next point.
Break point Draper.
Ace Alcaraz. His first of the match. That’s the response of a champion.
But a long rally ends with the Spaniard going long after Draper confuses him with a sliced backhand. Break point Draper.
Alcaraz rises to the occasion again, coming to the net to dispatch a perfect drop shot with Draper stranded behind the baseline. Deuce.
Alcaraz melts a forehand down the line after Draper tried to run around Alcaraz’s second serve and hit a backhand.
And Alcaraz comes though another highly arduous game.
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Draper getting into many of these Alcaraz games but not converting his opportunities often enough. I think he’s two for six on break points where the Spaniard is three for three.
Alcaraz holds serve.
03:35 PM BST
Draper* 4-6, 4-3 Alcaraz
Alcaraz cops a body serve after moving to put his opponent off, but Draper then double-faults for 15-all.
Alcaraz mishits a horrible forehand and has now started showing fits of pique.
Alcaraz misses a forehand drop shot and then goes into the tramlines to give Draper another straightforward hold.
Draper appears to have the Spaniard trapped in his own personal universe of mental pain at the moment.
Much better from the battling Briton.
Draper holds serve.
03:32 PM BST
Draper 4-6, 3-3 Alcaraz*
Alcaraz twice toys with the sidelines but his second forehand is adjudged to be out.
Another drop shot and a big serve brings up 30-15.
He nets for 30-all though and Alcaraz is now increasingly finding himself under pressure on serve.
A sloppy return from Draper hands Alcaraz break point.
But he has Alcaraz on the back foot with another stinging forehand. Deuce.
The Spaniard misses with his first serve but wins the point with a series of toppy forehands which force Draper into a mistake.
Draper tries a blistering winner, but it is millimetres out, and Alcaraz holds.
This is much better from Draper, who is getting much more joy on the Alcaraz serve, while looking comfortable on his.
Alcaraz holds serve.
03:25 PM BST
Draper* 4-6, 3-2 Alcaraz
More excellent, smooth serving from the British No 1 brings up 40-love.
And Alcaraz sends a backhand wide to give his opponent his second very quick love hold.
Draper holds serve.
03:23 PM BST
Draper 4-6, 2-2 Alcaraz*
Alcaraz makes another error to hand Draper 0-15, but Draper can’t live with his pounding forehands and Alcaraz takes the point with a smash. 15-all.
What a shot from Draper! He stays in the point and then batters a forehand down the line that is too hot for Alcaraz.
The longer Draper makes the rallies the greater his chances of winning the point.
The next point is not nearly long enough and the Spaniard levels at 30-all.
Oooh! Double-fault Alcaraz. 30-40.
But Draper can’t get much on that big serve. Deuce.
Alcaraz has been serving well in the main, but the pressure is ramping up with each long service game. His first serve sets him up for a put-away and advantage.
Draper is unlucky there. He does all the hard work to stay in the point and has a chance to hit a winner but sends a tired-looking forehand into the tramlines with the court at his mercy.
Alcaraz holds serve.
03:16 PM BST
Draper* 4-6, 2-1 Alcaraz
Three booming serves earn Draper 40-love.
He could use a short game after that energy-sapping last game.
Alcaraz impudently smashes a return back to stay in the game. 40-15.
But he makes an unforced error and Draper edges back ahead.
Superb mental strength there from Draper, who is somehow clinging on.
Draper holds serve.
03:13 PM BST
Draper 4-6, 1-1 Alcaraz*
Draper screams with frustration as he hits a forehand long but Alcaraz makes a rare error to bring up 30-30.
Alcaraz forces a mistake from Draper to go 40-30 up but underhits an attempted drop shot for a change – it hits the net cord and drop on his side. Deuce.
The Spaniard races to the net on a deep approach and Draper’s attempted pass hits the top of the net and goes out.
Advantage Alcaraz.
Draper hangs in the next point and hits a winner. Deuce.
Alacaraz nonchalantly hits a one-handed volley to earn game point.
But Draper hits a screaming return that surprises the Spaniard at the net and he mishits. Deuce.
Alacaraz puts away a smash to earn another game point, but goes long in what is now the longest game of the match. Deuce.
After another long rally Draper pounds a forehand that Alcaraz can’t get back. Break point to Draper.
Draper looks out of the point but Alcaraz again underhits a drop shot. Great fighting spirit from the British No 1 to break back.
Draper breaks serve.
03:05 PM BST
Draper* 4-6, 0-1 Alcaraz
Draper loses the game to love as Alcaraz moves through the gears.
He is returning the ball superbly and appears to have Draper on a strong at the moment.
Alcaraz breaks serve.
03:01 PM BST
Draper 4-6 Alcaraz*
Draper has struggled to contend with the quality of Alcaraz’s shot-making.
He takes the first point but, as if slighted, Alcaraz sends Draper scampering hither and thither with a selection of furious ground-strokes. He creams another forehand to bring up 15-all.
Draper shows extraordinary athleticism to win the next point, somehow keeping up with the Spaniard before delivering a backhand winner.
And what speed from Draper to bring up two break points. It looked for all the world like he was out of that point but Alcaraz failed to put away a volley at the net and Draper found the empty court to the server’s left. 15-40.
Alcaraz saves both break points with two meaty serves. Deuce.
And he turns on the style with a forehand down the line that Draper can only pad back for Alcaraz to dispatch. Advantage Alcaraz.
Draper goes marginally long with a cross-court backhand and Alcaraz takes the set. Imperious tennis from the Spaniard.
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A brilliant set of tennis in which Draper played well, but Alcaraz was in a class of his own. Eight forehand winners for the Spaniard to one for the Brit: that’s where the damage was done. And when Draper misses his first serve, he is winning only one point in four.
Alcaraz holds serve.
Alcaraz wins first set.
02:52 PM BST
Draper* 4-5 Alcaraz
A fantastic return from Alcaraz forces Draper to attempt a one-handed forehand that nets, 15-all.
That’s another spectacular drop shot by Alcaraz to bring up 15-30.
Alcaraz pounces on a short approach by Draper and the Briton goes long with his attempted cross-court pass to find himself two game points down. 15-40.
Alcaraz hits a brilliant return and all of a sudden Draper has been broken for the second successive service game.
Alcaraz will serve for the first set.
Alcaraz breaks serve.
02:48 PM BST
Draper 4-4 Alcaraz*
Alcaraz comes to the net, plays a drop shot and then plays a classy winner to move 15-love up.
A big serve and it’s 30-love.
Draper replies with a bludgeoning cross-court backhand that almost hits the top of the net but finds the corner. 30-15.
Another drop shot by Alcaraz brings up two game points.
But Draper is not done yet, hitting a glorious double-handed forehand return that finds the corner.
The Briton nets, though, and in the blink of an eye Alcaraz is back level.
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Three straight games for Alcaraz, including two breaks, since Draper poked the bear by scoring the first break of the match. Hard to see how you live with him in this form.
Alcaraz holds serve.
02:44 PM BST
Draper* 4-3 Alcaraz
Alcaraz has started returning well and he plays a selection of wonderful shots to earn himself three break points.
Draper is suddenly being dragged all over the court and despite playing a decent forehand, loses out to another sensational Alcaraz backhand.
Alcaraz breaks serve.
02:40 PM BST
Draper 4-2 Alcaraz*
Draper returns well to force an error from his opponent, who goes long for 15-30.
The Briton stays in the next point and a long rally follows, the longest of the match so far, with Draper earning two break points with a glorious forehand.
Alcaraz takes the next point but double-faults on the second break point to hand Draper the game.
Draper breaks serve.
02:35 PM BST
Draper* 3-2 Alcaraz
Draper is serving well and takes a comfortable game to 15.
No sign of any break points so far as the servers are dominating a match of short exchanges.
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We’re watching the two leading players on the points table this season, and Draper has made a solid start, certainly much more focused early on than in his last couple of outings. He knows he has to be right on it because any hint of a neutral ball will get clobbered.
02:32 PM BST
Draper 2-2 Alcaraz*
Alcaraz sweeps into a 30-0 with two big serves followed by accompanying pulverising forehands.
Draper goes long after a short rally and it’s 40-0 to the Spaniard, who takes the game to love with a delightful stop volley at the net.
02:29 PM BST
Draper* 2-1 Alcaraz
A miscue from Alcaraz hands Draper a 30-0 lead, but the Briton’s backhand is called out to bring up 30-15.
Draper is getting great length on his groundstrokes forcing Alcaraz well behind the baseline and the Spaniard finds the tramlines for 40-15.
Forceful attacking tennis from Draper, who pins Alcaraz back again with an array of powerful shots, and Alcaraz nets to cede the game.
Draper holds serve.
02:25 PM BST
Draper 1-1 Alcaraz*
Alcaraz takes the opening point but goes long for 15-all.
The Spaniard wrong-foots Draper with a fierce forehand and though the Briton stays in the point it’s an easy putaway for Alcaraz 30-15.
Alcaraz then toys with Draper in the next rally putting his opponent on the back foot before sending a blistering forehand down the line.
Draper goes long to hand Alcaraz a straightforward hold.
Alcaraz holds serve
02:21 PM BST
Draper* 1-0 Alcaraz (*denotes server)
Draper takes the first point after a long rally, delivering a vicious forehand winner, but Alcaraz returns the compliment coming to the net to make it 15-all.
The Spaniard sends a backhand wide and then nets a return for 40-15.
Draper double-faults but takes the game with an almost unreturnable first serve.
Draper holds serve.
02:16 PM BST
Alcaraz unconcerned by injuries
Draper loses the toss and Alcaraz, still clad in that black leg brace, elects to receive, in a bid to put some early pressure on the Briton.
Alcaraz said in the build-up to this match that he is unconcerned about his leg issue and he prefers to play as many matches as possible “to test the injuries”. It’s an interesting approach, and one which reflects the steely mentality required to win at this level.
The best players have to play so many matches and the clay-court season is a particularly demanding one.
Alcaraz says he is “looking forward to gaining revenge” on Draper after he won their last meeting, but has hailed him “one of the best players in the world.
The players are now ready to go.
01:58 PM BST
Both men coming off the back of three-setters
Jack Draper battled past Corentin Moutet yesterday to set up this mouthwatering quarter-final against the World No 3. Draper, himself the World No 5 looked tired at points during his three-set contest.
Asked about his energy levels after that match Draper said: “I’m giving myself the best chance to be there every point. I’m in the quarter-finals now and there’s no time to be tired any more. I’ve got to keep on pushing hard every point and I will do that.”
Alcaraz also went the distance on Tuesday, battling fatigue in a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win over Karen Khachanov.
“Physically I was struggling a little bit,” Alcaraz said. “Not any pain in any part of the body. I was just tired. I had to run a lot. I was really proud the way I fought [for] every ball.”
Alcaraz wore a long black brace that covered the upper portion of his right leg and stretched down to just below his knee.
Alcaraz withdrew from Madrid due to an upper right leg ailment that bothered him during the Barcelona Open final. He also had a left leg injury.
While Alcaraz holds a 3-2 career edge over Draper, the British player won their most recent meeting in the semifinals at Indian Wells, California, in March.
Today’s contest will be a key marker for the French Open later this month.
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