Italian Open: Alcaraz shuts down in-form Draper for semis spot

IANS May 15, 2025 127 views

Carlos Alcaraz delivered a commanding performance in the Italian Open quarterfinals, defeating Jack Draper in straight sets. The victory not only propels him into the semifinals but also guarantees his rise to World No. 2 in the ATP Rankings. Alcaraz showed remarkable resilience, overcoming early challenges and converting crucial break points throughout the match. His win sets the stage for a potential exciting semifinal encounter and boosts his confidence heading into Roland Garros as defending champion.

"Consistency is key in these big moments" - Hypothetical Alcaraz post-match comment
Rome, May 14: Carlos Alcaraz continued his rollercoaster ride in Rome as he reached the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, overcoming Jack Draper in straight sets here on Wednesday. The Spaniard overcame Draper 6-4, 6-4 at the clay ATP Masters 1000, fighting back from 2-4 to claim the first set on Campo Centrale.

Key Points

1

Alcaraz wins dramatic 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jack Draper

2

Secures 28th win of 2025 season

3

Rises to ATP World No. 2 ranking

4

Advances to Rome Masters semifinals

He then let slip an early break lead in the second set, but rallied through to a one-hour, 38-minute quarter-final triumph.

As well as keeping him on track for his second Masters 1000 trophy of the year (after Monte-Carlo), Alcaraz's win against Draper also ensured he will, on Monday, rise above Alexander Zverev to No. 2 in the ATP Rankings. That will also lock the 22-year-old in as the second seed for the upcoming Roland Garros, where he is the defending champion. As the second seed, Alcaraz is guaranteed to be in the opposite half of the draw to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the clay major.

With his Tour-leading 28th win of 2025, Alcaraz advanced to the Rome semi-finals for the first time on his second appearance. His opponent there will be defending champion and second seed Zverev or home favourite Lorenzo Musetti.

Just as he had against Laslo Djere and Karen Khachanov in his previous two matches, Alcaraz produced a performance against Draper that fluctuated dramatically between streaks of shotmaking brilliance and lapses that allowed his opponent to escape from tough positions. Yet Alcaraz still found the consistency required to hold off the fifth-seeded Briton.

The third-seeded Spaniard finished the match having hit 24 winners to Draper's eight, a tally which more than made up for his 29 unforced errors to his opponent's 18. Alcaraz was also clinical with his chances on return, converting all four break points he earned in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats. After defeating Draper in the pair's maiden tour-level clash on clay, Alcaraz leads the lefty 4-2 in their ATP head-to-head series.

Draper would have risen above Taylor Fritz to No. 4 in the ATP Live Rankings by beating Alcaraz on Wednesday. Despite his defeat, he can reflect on another impressive step forward in his career on clay. He had won just nine tour-level matches on the surface before 2025 but has now doubled that tally after reaching the second round in Monte-Carlo, the final in Madrid, and the quarterfinals in Rome.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the tennis article:
A
Arjun P.
Alcaraz is proving why he's the future of tennis! His ability to bounce back from tough situations is incredible. As an Indian tennis fan, I wish we had players with this kind of mental strength in big tournaments. Our players need to learn from his consistency. 🇮🇳🎾
P
Priya M.
While Alcaraz was brilliant, let's not ignore Draper's improvement! From barely winning on clay to reaching Madrid finals and Rome QFs - that's massive growth. Indian players should take inspiration from his rapid development on all surfaces. The future of tennis looks exciting! 😊
R
Rahul K.
Watching Alcaraz play is pure entertainment! But I must say, 29 unforced errors is concerning. If he wants to challenge Djokovic at Roland Garros, he'll need to cut down on those. Still, what a champion in the making! His forehand is a thing of beauty.
S
Shreya N.
The Sinner vs Alcaraz rivalry is giving me Federer-Nadal vibes! 🎾✨ As an Indian, I'm just happy we're getting to witness this new golden era of tennis. Though I wish our sports authorities would invest more in tennis infrastructure to produce world-class players.
V
Vikram S.
Alcaraz's stats are impressive - 24 winners is no joke! But what stands out is his conversion rate on break points (4/4). That's championship mentality right there. Indian players often crumble under pressure - this is what we need to learn from the new generation.
N
Neha R.
While we celebrate these international stars, let's not forget our own Sumit Nagal who's making steady progress. Maybe in a few years we'll see him competing at this level! The Italian Open always reminds me of Paes-Bhupathi's golden days. Indian tennis needs that spark again!

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Tags:
Carlos Alcaraz ATP Masters Italian Open Tennis Jack Draper Clay Court Tennis