US Open: Jack Draper’s run ended in four-set defeat to Andrey Rublev as Brit misses out on quarter-finals

Jack Draper’s US Open run was ended in the fourth round as he lost a hard-hitting contest against eighth seed Andrey Rublev.

Draper fought back from losing the opening set 3-6 to take the second, but went on to lose 3-6 6-3 3-6 4-6 to the Russian.

The 21-year-old Brit surpassed expectations by reaching this stage of the Grand Slam despite enduring a frustrating injury-hit 2023.

Playing in the last 16 of a major tournament for the first time in his career, Draper showed plenty of the qualities that many people are getting excited about.

The youngster didn’t know when he was beaten, saving multiple match points in the final set, but Rublev was eventually able to reach a ninth Grand Slam quarter-final.

The Russian is looking to win a second event of 2023 having won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, but to do so he’ll have to overcome his quarter-final curse.

Rublev has lost the first eight Grand Slam quarter-finals of his career, a record worse than any other player.

After his win, Rublev said: “Since the first point that we start to play, I was feeling the ball really well and I felt that Jack was also playing really well.

“But then I was able to break him and I was thinking ‘ok let’s just try to make it as physical as possible’ as Jack is coming from the injury.

“And then in the fourth set you can see Jack was tired and not moving the same way and I was able to add extra speed and finish the match.”

Draper came into the match as the 123rd-ranked men’s player in the world, having dropped down from No. 38 since January following prolonged injury absences.

He suffered a shoulder injury during the French Open in May, forcing him to miss Wimbledon, and had minimal hard-court preparation ahead of the US Open.

He returned to action last month, but on his ATP Tour return retired from his second match with injury to cast doubt over his involvement at Flushing Meadows.

Rublev will take to the court on Wednesday against the winner of Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur as he looks to progress to the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.