Jack Draper defeated Francisco Cerundolo to arrange a fourth-round conflict with Novak Djokovic within the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
The Briton claimed a 6-1 7-5 victory and can now face Djokovic for the primary time since Wimbledon in 2021, when the Serb received in 4 units on the best way to the sixth of his seven titles on the All England Membership.
Djokovic booked his place within the fourth spherical earlier within the day as he beat American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4 1-6 6-4 to succeed in the final 16 for the primary time since 2017.
“The tennis is one factor. The particular person and the participant I have been watching since I used to be a younger boy… in my view he is the best participant of all time,” Draper advised Sky Sports activities.
“He is proven 12 months in, 12 months out by means of his consistency that he is the largest champion of all of them.
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Highlights of the Indian Wells match between Novak Djokovic and Aleksandar Kovacevic
“While you go up in opposition to him you recognize he’ll be there mentally, you recognize he’ll make it an extremely robust match and play some loopy tennis, and I’ll should be prepared for that and up my recreation.
“Undoubtedly going to should compete laborious and put together nicely.”
Draper opened the defence of his Indian Wells crown with a victory over Roberto Bautista Agut as he continues his comeback from a prolonged damage lay-off.
The 24-year-old received 79 per cent of first-serve factors in opposition to Cerundolo however transformed simply six of 14 break factors as he was pushed laborious within the second set.
“Within the final eight months I’ve actually needed to be again out on courtroom however needed to settle for that it was going to be a fairly long-term damage I used to be going to have,” he mentioned.
“It is actually good to get again within the feeling the place I can play back-to-back matches as a result of there was a degree the place if I performed one observe session I could not do one other one.
“To be right here, I am very grateful whatever the approach I am enjoying.”
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Highlights of the Indian Wells match between Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur
Britain’s Cameron Norrie, the 2021 champion at Indian Wells, additionally superior to the fourth spherical due to a 6-4 6-4 win over sixth seed Alex de Minaur.
Pegula comes from behind to progress
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Highlights of the Indian Wells match between Jessica Pegula and Jelena Ostapenko.
Jessica Pegula got here from a set right down to e book her place within the subsequent spherical with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory over Jelena Ostapenko.
The win noticed the American produce 11 aces, essentially the most she has ever managed in a WTA Tour match.
“I believe at this time I needed to sort of snap myself again and sort of lock in, as a result of [the negativity] then clearly it begins to have an effect on the whole lot,” Pegula mentioned in press afterward. “I stored telling myself I wasn’t really enjoying dangerous.
“It is one factor you are annoyed you are not enjoying nicely. I did not assume I used to be enjoying dangerous. I assumed I used to be enjoying fairly nicely. It was simply letting a pair probabilities, couple breaks right here and there, perhaps a pair photographs that I may have been extra aggressive on.”
Belinda Bencic in the meantime defeated Elise Mertens 6-2 6-3 and Karolina Muchova beat Antonia Ruzic 6-0 6-3.
Watch the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells dwell on Sky Sports activities till March 15. Stream tennis with NOW, contract-free.
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