Why ‘angry’ Jack Draper destroyed his racket in dramatic Italian Open meltdown

Liam Grace
British tennis star Jack Draper has named two reasons why he destroyed his racket in a ‘meltdown’ during his Italian Open victory over Vit Kopriva.
Draper secured his spot in the last 16 on Sunday with a 6-4 6-4 win over Kopriva but the British No.1 was handed a code violation for his outburst.
The 23-year-old appeared to become frustrated when he failed to convert break points and was jeered by spectators when he first threw the racket.
Sky Sports commentator Annabel Croft said Draper was having ‘a bit of a meltdown’ as the world No.5 missed four break point opportunities while leading 3-1 in the second set before smashing up his racket on the court.
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Following the match, Draper put the incident down to his rapid rise and exhaustion, suggesting his surge up the rankings has taken a mental toll.
‘When I get out of bed I feel so angry some days,’ Draper told Sky Sports. ‘And, you know, I’ve got to play a tennis match and I’ve got to lose points, so I’ve got to go through those emotional ups and downs.
‘I’m in a new position now. My ranking’s obviously going up, and I’m getting to compete week in, week out, and play lots of matches.
‘And that’s taken some getting used to from the mental and physical side. I want to keep going, but yeah, it’s sometimes difficult to always be perfect.’
In one of his court-side interviews, Draper added: ‘It’s tough. I’m human. I’ve been mentally and physically on for the last three weeks.
‘They’re not easy now, these two-week Masters events, especially if you go deep.
Draper admits he is ‘so angry’ when he wakes up some mornings (Picture: Sky Sports)
‘On the days when you’re tired it’s really tough to stay there mentally on every point.
‘I got a bit frustrated today. I don’t condone it. But I did well to come through.’
Draper, who impressively reached the Madrid Open final in his last event, next faces French tennis star Corentin Moutet in the last 16 out in Rome.
Moutet is known for his own fiery temperament which could potentially lead to more explosive behaviour in the Italian capital.
‘I think he’s always been quite flarey,’ Draper said. ‘I think he brings a lot to tennis, to be honest.
‘Every time I watch him, it’s an interesting match. So I look forward to that battle.’
Draper is currently gearing up for the French Open – the second Grand Slam of the year – which gets underway in Paris on May 25.
His best major performance to date came at the US Open last year with a stunning run to the semi-finals.
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