Jack Draper was given a tough test in round two of the French Open as Gael Monfils put on a dogged display in front of his home fans.
The Great Britain star was forced to withstand plenty of support for his opponent, but this has proved all part of the learning curve for the world number five.
Draper didn’t let those inside Philippe-Chatrier get on top of him and came up trumps with a stunning four-set victory over the 38-year-old.
It was a match that will leave the player happy to be through, but one where Draper will know that he’s been in a match when he wakes up tomorrow morning.
Draper had lots of praise for Monfils after the match. John McEnroe, however, reserved the plaudits for the English youngster instead following his latest victory.
John McEnroe drops verdict on Jack Draper after win over Gael Monfils
Many players might have threatened to boil over when playing a player who is getting so much support out on the court in such a high-pressure situation.
However, Draper coped with it particularly well and simply stuck to the task at hand of reaching the third round of the French Open for the very first time.
McEnroe has praised him for his mature approach to the match on Thursday night and thinks he will earn a lot of admirers for how he coped with things.
He said on TNT Sports: “There were a few Draper fans, and I tell you one thing, he won a lot of fans tonight with the way he played and the way he acted and the way he handled the whole situation.
“You mentioned the post-match interview as well. It’s a win-win for tennis.
“It’s one of those matches when you sit back as an ex-tennis player and you are proud to be a tennis player.
“You look at these guys digging that deep and a 38-year-old who seems spent at times, still moving unbelievably well.
“And you see Jack Draper maturing. Getting better and better on the spot. I would be surprised if he doesn’t win multiple majors. It’s incredible how much he’s improving and how great he’s become.”
Jack Draper to face Joao Fonseca next at French Open
Wow! A third-round match-up between two players who are going to form part of the future of tennis are set to go head-to-head in the next round at Roland Garros – and it looks like a belter!
Draper had better be ready for another ferocious crowd on whichever court the match gets allocated to, with Fonseca’s matches so far resembling those more common at a game of football than a tennis match.
He’s showcased, however, that he’s not fussed by that and will merely focus on the player standing on the other side of the net, with a place in the second week of a Grand Slam now at stake.
The two players met for the first time at Indian Wells earlier this year, with Draper coming out on top, and the whole of Great Britain will be hoping the same outcome can happen when the pair meet over the weekend.
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