Carlos Alcaraz gets to his 10th Grand Slam quarter-finals after Jack Draper retires in their fourth-round tie at the Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic (via X)
Carlos Alcaraz’s bid to become the youngest man to complete a Career Slam got closer after his victory over Jack Draper in the fourth round. The Spaniard’s opponent, Draper, played only two sets before he was forced to withdraw from the match due to an injury. Alcaraz will now face Novak Djokovic, in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Alcaraz showed character in his Round of 16 match against Draper, who had played five sets in each of his first three rounds at the Melbourne Grand Slam event. The British star managed to show resilience in the first set but, after that, began to struggle with his hip. He called on the physio during the time break and returned to the court again.
But ultimately, the 23-year-old Briton could not carry on as he kept struggling with tendinitis in his hip. The match ended with Alcaraz leading 7-5, 6-1, and is now into his 10th Grand Slam quarter-finals. The Spaniard will face Djokovic for the eighth time on the professional court as he aims to reach the semifinals.
Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 4-3. During Alcaraz’s press conference, he revealed that he doesn’t want to think about the Serbian’s amazing record at the Australian Open, as he aims to beat him.
The last time Djokovic and Alcaraz faced each other was at the Paris Olympics gold medal match in 2024. The former won the tie in straight sets and went on to win the ever-elusive Golden Slam.
Carlos Alcaraz reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event for the 10th time equaled the Open Era record for the most Grand Slam last-eight reached by a man aged 21 or under. The World No.3 is currently seeking to win his first Australian Open title and beat his last year’s quarter-finals finish.
However, after the match, Alcaraz said he wasn’t too pleased about the achievements because Jack Draper retired. He added that he hopes the British No.1 gets back to fitness in time ahead of a long season.
Draper’s injury struggles continue after having his major breakthrough season last year. He won two titles last year and reached the semifinals of the US Open, which is a major significant growth in his game. Fans are hoping he comes back stronger.
