US Open: Jack Draper forced to retire in the third set against Karen Khachanov due to hamstring injury

Jack Draper is out of the US Open after retiring at 3-6 6-4 5-6 against Karen Khachanov.

The in-form 20-year-old was having a fine run at Flushing Meadows having knocked out Emil Ruusuvuori and No. 6 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the opening two rounds.

However, despite taking the second set and going 4-2 up in the third set, a hamstring injury affected the Brit badly. At 6-5 down, the Brit decided to retire from the match.

Draper struggled in the opening set as Khachanov dictated the early exchanges and broke the Brit early on before holding to lead 3-0.

Khachanov enjoyed a glorious service game and some punishing forehands to regain his three-game advantage after Draper got on the board, then luckily holding as he attempted to stay in the set thanks to an overhit Khachanov backhand.

Trouble loomed for Draper when he was dragged from 40-15 to deuce as he attempted to stay in the set, but more dominance from Khachanov’s service game inevitably earned the Russian the lead.

It was deja vu in the second set for Draper when Khachanov secured the early break at the second time of asking, but the Brit showed some grit this time around to register an instant break of his own and draw level.

The 20-year-old quickly settled into the set and sensationally pulled the match square when he snatched the second set 6-4. He peppered Khachanov with some big hits, and wrapped up the set with a second set point.

The tables turned in the third set as Draper flew out of the blocks, winning the key battles to secure three games in quick succession to make it five on the spin, enjoying an early break of his own.

He went on to lose his break as Khachanov clawed his way back into the tie to get the game back on serve, at which point Draper called for a medical timeout to attend to an issue with his right hamstring.

The Brit went on to resist three break points to consolidate at 5-2, but began to struggle physically as a rapid hold followed for Khachanov.

Despite the convincing lead for Draper, it was clear he couldn’t perform to the standard that saw him race ahead in the third set, and eventually retired as Khachanov wrapped up the third set.

The Russian will play Pablo Carreno Busta or Alex De Minaur in the fourth round.

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