World number three Carlos Alcaraz triumphed over Britain’s Jack Draper in a gripping 6-4, 6-4 victory to advance to the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Englishman, ranked fifth in the ATP, showed resilience but couldn’t overcome the reigning French Open champion’s tenacity.
Draper surged to a 4-2 lead in the first set, but Alcaraz battled back, saving crucial break points and capitalizing on his opportunities to secure the set.
Fresh off his Madrid Open final appearance, Draper applied consistent pressure on Alcaraz’s serve in the second set, earning two break points. However, Alcaraz held firm, surviving a marathon eighth game to shift the momentum and clinch the match.
Making his first Rome semi-final, Alcaraz now awaits the winner of the clash between Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti and Germany’s Alexander Zverev.