Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jack Draper: Where to watch their Rome quarterfinal, preview and prediction
“Just want to take revenge,” says Carlitos, who lost to the Brit at Indian Wells. Will he?
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jack Draper
🖥️ Stream live on TennisChannel.com, not before 9 a.m. ET, here
“I’m just ready,” Alcaraz says of facing the man who ended his two-year title streak in Indian Wells in March. “Just want to take revenge.”
“Is going to be an interesting match to watch and play.”
If you’re Draper, that might sound a bit ominous, coming from a four-time Slam champ, and a player of Alcaraz’s talents. And, of course, it’s meant to sound ominous. Can the Spaniard deliver on his bold statement of intent? I’d say the answer is probably yes, with a few caveats.
Alcaraz has a 3-2 record against Draper, but their head-to-head includes a couple of retirements by the injury-prone Brit. The surface favors the defending Roland Garros champ, but Draper did just make an important final on clay in Madrid. He also recently beat Alcaraz on one of his favorite hard courts, in Indian Wells.
Draper did that by serving big, jumping on Alcaraz early and getting him out of sorts, and staying steadier down the stretch in a close third set. His serve likely won’t be the same weapon on Rome’s slower dirt, and Alcaraz’s ground strokes are better suited to a clay-court slugfest. Draper will want to press his advantage as soon as he can in the rallies.
Draper, who just broke into the Top 5, has made himself a threat to Alcaraz this season, especially at Wimbledon. That means the Spaniard will probably be as good as his word, and come into this match ready for battle. Winner: Alcaraz