Marathon man Draper warns Alcaraz he’s in for a battle

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Melbourne: Marathon player Jack Draper says Carlos Alcaraz will have a battle on his hands when they meet in the last 16 of the Australian Open, with the Briton showing remarkable strength to set up a clash.

The charming 15th seed has won her first three Melbourne matches in five sets, rallying from behind in all of them to set up a clash with the four-time Grand Slam winner.

His 3hr 58min slog to defeat Aleksandar Vocic in Saturday morning’s final came after defeating Mariano Navon and Thanasi Kokkinakis in similarly tight contests.

So far, he has spent around 13 hours on the court, most notable as he was ruled out of the lead-up United Cup with a hip injury.

Draper last beat Alcaraz when they played on grass at London’s Queen’s Club last year. The Spaniard had previously won both meetings.

“I need to be aggressive. I need to take my chances,” Draper said, looking ahead to the showdown.

“Against the top players you get fewer chances to win games and sets.

“I need to be braver in the way I play,” he added.

“But I’m expecting him to come out and I know I’ve played three five-setters and I know he’s got a battle on his hands, and he’s going to have to play well.”

Draper is only the seventh man in history to win his first three rounds at the Australian Open in five sets, with what he says is a testament to the work he has done.

“Most of the time I’m done after two sets,” admitted the Briton, who won his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart last year.

“I mean, it’s just the way it is and it’s something I’m familiar with and I need to get better at it.

“I still have a long way to go, but it’s a long way, the fact that mentally and physically, three five-set matches, that doesn’t happen very often.

“It’s a testament to the work I’ve done and the place I’m at.”

Danielle Collins said she was proud of herself and didn’t care about being on and off the field after losing 6-4, 6-4 to fellow American Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Saturday. What do people think?

Collins, 31, became Melbourne Park’s pantomime villain on Thursday when she mockingly thanked hecklers for “paying my bills” after beating home hope Destani Eva in the second round.

He also blew kisses to the rabid crowd, covered his ears and pointed to his backside.

Collins smiled as she walked out onto Center Court, Rod Laver Arena, for a third-round meeting with 19th-seeded Keys as she faced a barrage of boos.

The cheers grew when 10th-seeded Collins hit her first double fault.

At the end of the first set, the chair umpire reminded the fans to respect both players.

Collins needed a medical timeout in the second set down 4-3 with a heavy brace on his left knee.

The half-empty stadium was mostly cheering for both players until the end, although there were more boos for Collins outside the stadium.

The defeated 2022 finalist later said: “I’m proud of myself that I’ve just gotten to the point where I don’t really care what people think that’s not important to me.”

She doubled down on her stance that all publicity is good publicity.

“Obviously I’m at the end of my career. It’s great that I can take advantage of these opportunities,” he said.

“I think this tournament alone has six different sponsorship opportunities.

“It’s a great gesture for me. Obviously, like I said, every fan contributes.

“It’s a real blessing.”

Collins shrugged off his detractors on Thursday by saying the prize money he won in Melbourne would go towards a “five-star trip” with friends in the Bahamas.

Asked after Saturday’s loss if he had booked a holiday, he told reporters: “I’ve got to fit it in there for a few days. Yeah, we’ll see what happens. I’ll tell you guys. Will definitely keep you updated.

“I’ll be sure to send pictures to everyone.”

Elina Svitolina completed a family saga day at the Australian Open on Saturday when she emulated husband Gael Monfils by knocking out the world number four in the third round.

In the men’s singles, Ukraine’s Svitolina defeated Jasmine Pavlini 2-6, 6-4, 6-0, hours after Monfils stunned Taylor Fritz at the same Margaret Court Arena. The pair both reached the last 16 of the first Grand as an on-court coaching box. Salem of the year.