Jack Draper equals grand slam best by easing into US Open fourth round

Jack Draper equalled his best run at a grand slam by reaching the fourth round of the US Open.

The 22-year-old, who repeated his 2023 feat in New York, destroyed Carlos Alcaraz’s slayer Botic van De Zandschulp in straight sets.

It was a predictable case of after the Lord Mayor’s show for the Dutchman, who produced one of the biggest shocks in recent memory by beating the Spaniard on Thursday night.

Draper was far from his best but eased to a 6-3 6-4 6-2 success, to make it three wins from three without dropping a set.

And with Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic already on a plane home, the men’s tournament is opening up and someone like Draper, seeded 25th and at ease on the fast hard courts, could make a run.

Czech player Tomas Machac waits in the next round before a possible quarter-final against 10th seed Alex de Minaur.

Just 36 hours after his famous midnight win over Alcaraz, Van De Zandschulp was back on court and understandably looked sluggish as Draper took advantage with an early break.

Draper handed it back on a plate with three failed drop shots in a game but an immediate response saw him regain control and he served out the first set.

The British number one was in total control and two breaks in sets two and three made it an easy afternoon.

“First of all Botic played an incredible match against Carlos. It’s not always easy to go on that big stage and play such a player like Carlos, and then come out the next round and feel really good, because it’s just so tiring put in that situation,” Draper said on his on-court interview.

“So credit to him. I played a solid match, it was a little bit scrappy and up and down but I got through in the end.

“Last year I had a tough year with injuries and this year I have been able to stay on court and compete and this is what I put all the hard work in for.

“I am very happy and we keep wanting more.”