Jack Draper’s clay-court inexperience was exposed by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the unpredictable Spaniard who eliminated him from the Monte-Carlo Masters in the third round.
In an exhausting and see-sawing three-setter, Draper never quite located the rhythm that had made him one of the three or four best performers on the ATP Tour this season.
His first serve never got going, landing only 48 per cent of the time, and there were also ten double-faults including the one that concluded Davidovich Fokina’s 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 victory in two hours and 46 minutes.
From the off, Draper was clearly discomfited by Davidovich Fokina’s quirky game style, which relied heavily on drop shots and a punishing backhand down the line.