Draper Continues US Open Breakthrough, Reaches First Major Semifinal

Jack Draper
Jack Draper (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 5, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

Jack Draper of Great Britain reached his first major quarterfinal at the US Open without losing a set. Now, after defeating World No. 10 Alex de Minaur of Australia, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, in two hours and seven minutes in his debut on Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday afternoon, the 25th seed still has a clean slate through five victories. Better yet, he’s become the first British man to reach the US Open semifinals since Andy Murray won the 2012 title at Flushing Meadows – and the fourth overall joining Greg Rusedski, Tim Henman and Murray.

The 22-year-old Draper, a native of Sutton (an outer borough of London, England), is just the sixth player born in 2000s to advance to a Grand Slam semifinal and the fourth at US Open. The British lefty is also the first man to go this deep in a US Open without losing a set since Daniil Medvedev in 2020.

“It’s amazing, honestly. To be out here for my first match on the biggest court in the world, honestly, it’s a dream come true for me,” Draper said during his on-court interview. “Thank you for the support. It means the world.” 

Draper combined a booming first-serve, which produced 11 aces and an 84-percent success rate on winning points, along with 40 winners – thanks to his heavy, spinning groundstrokes – to beat de Minaur, who was playing in his first singles event since a Wimbledon due to a hip injury and never was able to mount a serious threat.

“I wish I felt better, let’s just put it that way,” de Minaur said post match. “It’s tough. It’s a big opportunity. It’s a big chance.”

De Minaur faced 20 break points and was broken six times by Draper. He also committed 30 unforced errors. Draper outpointed his opponent 105-76 to collect his first victory over the Aussie in four meetings.

“I think I played a solid match,” Draper said. “I feel the best fitness-wise that I’ve been in a long, long time, and I think that is where Alex has sort of got me in the past. I also think he was maybe struggling a little bit today with something, which might have helped me a little bit. But credit to Alex. He’s an amazing fighter and an unbelievable player. We’re going to have many more battles to come.”

On Friday, Draper will face World No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, who defeated fifth seed Medvedev from Russia 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 39 minutes Wednesday night on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 23-year-old South Tyrolean hit 31 winners, benefited from 57 unforced errors by his opponent and outpointed Medvedev 115-91.

“It was very tough. We know each other quite well,” Sinner said after his sixth victory in 13 career meetings against Medvedev, including seven in the past 12 months. “We played in Australia this year and then London. We knew it was going to be very physical. It was strange the first two sets because whoever made the first break then started to roll.”

Sinner, who holds a tour-leading 21 Grand Slam match wins in 2024, became the third Italian man to reach US Open semifinals in Open Era after Corrado Barazzutti in 1977 and Matteo Berrettini in 2019.

Muchova beats Haddad Maia, reaches back-to-back US Open semifinals

Former Top 10-ranked Karolina Muchova overcame a mid-match stomach ailment to gut out a 6-1, 6-4 quarterfinal victory over No. 22 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil on Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday afternoon.

The 52nd-ranked Muchova of the Czech Republic, who underwent wrist surgery earlier this year and was off the WTA Tour for a total of nine months going back to last season, earned her second straight semifinal berth at Flushing Meadows. She is playing in just her sixth tournament of 2024.

Against Haddad Maia, Muchova was aided by her four breaks of the Brazilian lefty’s serve in 12 opportunities, in addition to hitting 19 winners. She outpointed her opponent 59-43 during the 85-minute quarterfinal.

“A little weird match, I have to say,” Muchova said in her on-court interview. “I had a lot of problems; I wouldn’t like to comment on it. I’m happy I managed it, to run to the bathroom and back. Sorry if it disturbed anyone, but I had no other choice!”

Through her first five wins – against Katie Volynets, Naomi Osaka, Anastasia Potapova, No. 5 seed Jasmine Paolini and Haddad Maia – Muchova has yet to drop a set. Now, she’s through to her fourth career major semifinal after beating Haddad Maia for the fourth time in her career.

The 28-year-old Muchova is the second woman from the Czech Republic in the Open Era to reach consecutive US Open semifinals after Helena Sukova, who achieved the feat in 1986-87.

In Thursday’s semifinals, Muchova will face No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula of the United States, who upset World No. 1 and top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-2, 6-4, in an hour and 28 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday evening to advance to her first major semifinal.

Pegula’s fourth career victory over Swiatek put an end to a highly-publicized drought for the American at Grand Slams, where she was 0-6 in major quarterfinals. Now, the 30-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. native, who has won 14 of her last 15 matches this summer,  joins another native New Yorker, Emma Navarro, putting two Americans in the US Open semifinals for the second straight year.

“Thank god I was able to do it, and finally — finally! — I can say semifinalist,” Pegula said in her on-court interview. “To do it primetime, in Ashe, against the No. 1 player in the world, it’s crazy. But I knew I could do it, I just had to go out and execute my game.”

Against Swiatek, Pegula took advantage of 41 unforced errors by the 2022 US Open champion and converted four of eight break-point opportunities. She outpointed Swiatek 65-49. With Swiatek eliminated, it insures that come Saturday there will be a new US Open champion crowned.

Pegula praised her semifinal opponent, Muchova. She said: “She’s so good, so talented, so athletic, I love how she just doesn’t play [due to injury] and just comes out and beats everybody. She’s a really good player. I know she has a lot of experience going deep in Slams as well, so I’m going to have to bring my tennis. I’ll worry about that, maybe when I wake up in the morning.”

Around the US Open

No. 7 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia advanced to the women’s doubles final after easing past No. 10 seeds Hao-Ching Chan of Taiwan and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia, 6-1, 6-4, in an hour and 25 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium Wednesday afternoon.

Kichenok and Ostapenko, who have won titles this season at Brisbane and Eastbourne and were finalists at the Australian Open, combined to hit 23 winners and converted five of seven break points. They outpointed their opponents 60-35 for their 30th win of the season. They have not dropped a set in their five wins en route to the title match.

In Friday’s title match, Kichenok and Ostapenko will play unseeded Kristina Mladenovic of France and Zhang Shuai of China, who upset No. 3 seeds Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the United States, the reigning Wimbledon champions, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, in two hours and seven minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Mladenovic and Zhang broke their opponents in consecutive games late in the deciding set and consolidated both to close out the win. They outpointed Sinikova and Townsend 92-87.

Wednesday’s US Open results

Thursday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

There are three active men’s players who have reached the semifinals at all four Grand Slams:

• Novak Djokovic (11 semifinals at the Australian Open, 12 at Roland-Garros, 13 at Wimbledon and 13 at the US Open).

• Rafael Nadal (7 at the Australian Open, 15 at Roland-Garros, 8 at Wimbledon and 8 at the US Open).

• Marin Cilic (2 at the Australian Open, 1 at Roland-Garros, 1 at Wimbledon, 2 at the US Open).

Djokovic completed the set at the 2008 Australian Open, Nadal at the 2008 US Open and Cilic at 2022 Roland-Garros.

“Quotable …”

“Frances and Taylor go back to their early teens together. This is an all-American night. It hasn’t happened in close to 20 years. The atmosphere when Frances has been playing in the night sessions on Arthur Ashe (Stadium) has been electric, as it was two years ago (against Carlos Alcaraz). It really seems to suit him; he’s such an extroverted type of guy and his game is very flashy. However, I think he’s going to have a divided crowd on Friday night. I think it’s the biggest night of their combined lives. For Taylor Fritz, there’s no question it is.”

— Retired New York Times tennis columnist Christopher Clarey, appearing on CNN World Sport Wednesday, discussing Friday’s upcoming all-American men’s semifinal between Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz.

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