Jack Draper wins on return in Winston-Salem, Barbora Krecjikova dumped out by Clara Tauson at Cleveland
Britain’s Jack Draper made light work of Nuno Borges as he secured a 6-3 6-1 win on his return to the ATP Tour in Winston-Salem.
The 21-year-old has suffered this year with abdominal and shoulder injuries, the latter of which forced him to miss the entire grass court season, but is now back for the hard court calendar.
Playing his first tour-level match since the French Open in late May, Draper reached the second round with a comfortable win as he builds up to the US Open, which starts next week.
Borges has a couple of Challenger Tour hard court titles to his name this season, but with 11 aces from Draper he was unable to resist his more powerful rival.
Draper next faces second seed Tallon Griekspoor.
Elsewhere, second seed Barbora Krejcikova suffered a surprise first-round exit at the hands of Denmark’s Clara Tauson at the Cleveland Open.
The Czech player arrived as the No. 2 seed in the tournament that some players will be using for hard-court practice ahead of the US Open.
However, Krejcikova will have learned little after going down 6-4 6-1 against her unfancied opponent.
With four break points converted from six chances, and six aces sent down, Tauson’s superiority was clear.
Tauson will meet former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez in her next match.
No. 1 seed Caroline Garcia progressed with a 6-3 6-2 victory against Linda Fruhvirtova.
The world No. 7 is aiming to win her first title of the season after failing to convert final appearances in the Lyon Open and the Monterrey Open earlier in the year.
Garcia will play Peyton Stearns in the round of 16.
Teenage Mirra Andreeva continued her encouraging 2023 efforts when she defeated Germany’s Tamara Kopatsch after three sets.
Andreeva bagelled the first but Korpatsch levelled when she won the second set 6-3, before the 17-year-old took the decider 7-5.
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