British Tennis Sees Promising Start at Madrid Open
The Madrid Open has got off to a flying start for British tennis, with three players – Jack Draper, Jacob Fearnley, and Cameron Norrie – advancing to the last 32 of the tournament. According to a report by the BBC, fifth seed Draper led the charge, defeating world number 34 Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-3 6-4.
Draper’s victory set up a meeting with former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy in round three. The 23-year-old broke to lead 4-2 on his way to taking the first set in just over half an hour, and an early break put him in control of the second on his way to victory in an hour and 15 minutes. Draper attributed his success to his growing confidence on clay, saying, "I’m still relatively new to the clay so I knew it was going to be a tough challenge. Everything was ticking over really nicely so I hope I can carry on gaining more and more confidence and getting more and more effective on this surface."
Fearnley and Norrie also enjoyed impressive wins, with Fearnley beating a top-20 player for the first time. The 68th-ranked Fearnley recovered from losing the first set against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, the 19th seed, to come through 1-6 6-3 6-2. His next opponent will be former Grand Slam semi-finalist and world number three Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, the 15th seed. Fearnley revealed that he had been struggling with a twisted ankle, but found that the painkillers prescribed by the doctor helped him to serve effectively in the final set.
Norrie, now the world number 91, continued his good form in Madrid with a 2-6 6-4 6-0 success over another Czech player Jiri Lehecka, the 26th seed. He will face Canadian lucky loser Gabriel Diallo in the next round. Draper praised Norrie’s recovery from injury, saying, "Cam obviously had an injury last year so to see him coming back is great. And Jacob, someone my age, incredible player. The British public don’t really know much about him yet but he’s going to be, I think, one of the best players in the world."
The BBC reports that Draper is excited about the prospects of British tennis, saying, "Cam’s been up there too and he can do that as well, so I think it’s really exciting for British tennis and good healthy competition for us." Fearnley also expressed his satisfaction with his performance, saying, "The more I play these big matches, these big tournaments and get used to these surroundings, the better I handle them and the better I play."
As reported by the BBC, the news is a welcome boost for British tennis, with three players advancing to the last 32 of the Madrid Open. The tournament will continue to unfold with great interest, as fans and pundits alike watch to see how Draper, Fearnley, and Norrie will fare in the competition.
The British players’ progress in the Madrid Open has been hailed as a positive sign for the future of British tennis. As noted by the BBC, this performance bodes well for the country’s tennis prospects, especially with the growing talent and depth in the sport.
The Madrid Open continues to provide thrilling tennis action, and all eyes will be on Draper, Fearnley, and Norrie as they look to make further progress in the tournament. According to the BBC, their impressive performances have generated significant interest and excitement among fans and experts alike.
