2025 Australian Open R16 - [15] Jack Alexander Draper (GREAT BRITAIN) v/s [3] Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (SPN)

[Winner Sinner]

Draper throws in the towel at the end of the second set.
There is no point in continuing to drag yourself out and risk compromising your already battered physique.

 

[DSH]

Draper retired, he ran out of gas.

 

[L4S10s]

If Novak gets past Lehecka I see some opportunities that he can take advantage. Hope he plays his best so we can have a good match.

 

[MeatTornado]

Rather predictable, unfortunately.

Draper is made of glass and had spent like 50 hours on court already this tournament.

 

[Winner Sinner]

Exactly this. Yet, for the rest of his career people will lament about his lack of discipline and unforced errors. Alcaraz can't play with his foot half on the brake pedal and play, for a lack of a better word, boring. That's not his game or his DNA. Once you accept his mercurial play, you accept that he will miss shots he shouldn't, but he will also make even more magical ones.

But what does that mean?

Alcaraz played a terrible first set.
Just because he is an ultra-aggressive player who prefers to have the fate of the point in his own hands, this does not mean that a set full of unforced errors should be excused.

 

[Winner Sinner]

As widely expected, Draper retires at the end of the second set.

 

[chjtennis]

Carlitos always brings that positive energy. What a player. QF will be epic.

 

[DSH]

Rather predictable, unfortunately.

Draper is made of glass and had spent like 50 hours on court already this tournament.

Remember that Nadal, in free fall, obtained his last GS victory against the glass man.
It seems that Draper will not have a very long career.

 

[Alcawrath]

But what does that mean?

Alcaraz played a terrible first set.
Just because he is an ultra-aggressive player who prefers to have the fate of the point in his own hands, this does not mean that a set full of unforced errors should be excused.

He did not play a terrible first set. Draper faced break points constantly. Alcaraz was winning the match from start to finish. No one is excusing his errors, I'm trying to explain to you that he is a unique player. He doesn't win matches by playing safe like Sinner. I actually think he would probably be pretty bad if he did. It's not his game or style. So go ahead and criticize and hand wring about his unforced errors, but he'll be winning a few more majors in his career playing this way.

Edit: in fact this is why I love to watch Alcaraz and Sinner play. They're so different in their approach to the game and they are the best at what they do.

 

[Winner Sinner]

He did not play a terrible first set. Draper faced break points constantly. Alcaraz was winning the match from start to finish. No one is excusing his errors, I'm trying to explain to you that he is a unique player. He doesn't win matches by playing safe like Sinner. I actually think he would probably be pretty bad if he did. It's not his game or style. So go ahead and criticize and hand wring about his unforced errors, but he'll be winning a few more majors in his career playing this way.

Edit: in fact this is why I love to watch Alcaraz and Sinner play. They're so different in their approach to the game and they are the best at what they do.

Didn't a guy who makes 4 double faults and 21 unforced errors play a terrible set?
A guy who was ahead 5-2 and without his opponent doing anything allowed him to come back at 5-5?

You have a rather singular analytical ability.

The argument that Alcaraz with his style of play will be destined to continue to win several more majors has nothing to do with judging a first set played badly by him.
If he always played like he did today in the first set he wouldn't have won a single slam.
I repeat, here we are not judging his nature as a blessing and a curse, but the quality of his game seen in the first set which was absolutely terrible.

PS
Defining Sinner as a player who plays safely means never having seen a match by Sinner.

 

[Down_the_line]

Carlitos always brings that positive energy. What a player. QF will be epic.

He's very likeable, that's for sure.

 

[Winner Sinner]

Some people evidently don't understand that we are talking about probably the greatest talent in the history of tennis.
I say probably, because given his limitations in serving I could prefer Federer, but anyway we are there.

Analysis and judgments must be measured against all this, instead of analyzing Alcaraz as if he were any Carballes Baenas, therefore considering satisfactory the fact that in the first set he always put pressure on a walking dead version of Draper in his service turns.

If Alcaraz had played a good first set, not even a great one, he would have won the first set 6-1 easily against this Draper.
Instead, between double faults and an avalanche of unforced errors he allowed him to come back.

Standing here and repeating that Alcaraz with his nature has already won 4 majors and is destined to win many more, adds nothing constructive to the debate but only a way of masking that terrible first set by finding absurd justifications.

Does anyone have any doubts that if Alcaraz played a tennis with a lower percentage of risk, instead of already having 4 slams he would perhaps already have 6 or 7?
Does anyone have any doubts that with the mind of a Djokovic, Nadal or even Sinner, it would be totally illegal?

Alcaraz will take the next step when he improves his tactical reading of the point, despite what those who try at all costs to convince themselves that he is already perfect like this say.

 

[SeeingDusk]

Story of his career, he loves making things hard on himself. Sounds weird to say that about a 4-time slam winner at 21 but it feels like he loses matches rather than opponents winning them

Sounds like Federer too. Fed has had numerous chokes in his career even in his prime days.

 

[Alcawrath]

You have a rather singular analytical ability.

PS
Defining Sinner as a player who plays safely means never having seen a match by Sinner.

No need to get personal man, I'm just here to comment on some pro tennis as a casual fan. I can respectfully disagree and not be upset with you, hopefully you can do the same.

Saying that Sinner plays safe tennis is not a knock. He's #1 in the world and he's earned it. He plays smart, tactical tennis and he's the best at it. He doesn't go for highlight reel shots often but instead just adds pressure until his opponent cracks. He keeps the ball in play and just slowly adds power and power until the opponent misses. His style and Alcaraz' are objectively contrasting which is why they're so much fun to watch. Disagree if you want, it's no skin off my back.

 

[Winner Sinner]

No need to get personal man, I'm just here to comment on some pro tennis as a casual fan. I can respectfully disagree and not be upset with you, hopefully you can do the same.

Saying that Sinner plays safe tennis is not a knock. He's #1 in the world and he's earned it. He plays smart, tactical tennis and he's the best at it. He doesn't go for highlight reel shots often but instead just adds pressure until his opponent cracks. He keeps the ball in play and just slowly adds power and power until the opponent misses. His style and Alcaraz' are objectively contrasting which is why they're so much fun to watch. Disagree if you want, it's no skin off my back.

Nothing personal, I simply found it hilarious to justify a terrible performance by Alcaraz in the first set with Draper by blaming it on issues that have nothing to do (see highlighting the 4 majors he has already won) with the insufficient judgment that his first set full of errors deserved.

As for Sinner, it's one thing to say that he plays a more thoughtful tennis than Alcaraz, it's another thing to say that he plays safely.
Since you mentioned the matchups between the two, I remember their challenges in which Sinner attacked Alcaraz trying to take away his time, with the Spaniard very often forced on the defensive.

In general, if you express your opinion in a forum, it seems normal to me to expose yourself to the judgment of others on what you write.
If you expect no one to contradict you, this is not the right context for you.