Jack Draper sees off Alex de Minaur to reach maiden Grand Slam semi-final

Jack Draper of Britain, aged 22, triumphed over the 10th seed Alex de Minaur, aged 25, with a score of 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 on Wednesday during their US Open quarter-final match.

This victory marks Draper's first advancement to a Grand Slam semi-final and enhances British aspirations for a men's major singles title, the first since Andy Murray's Wimbledon victory in 2016.

As the 25th seed, Draper has become the first British male player to reach the US Open semi-finals since Andy Murray in 2012, and he is also the first Briton to reach the last four of a Grand Slam since Cameron Norrie at Wimbledon in 2022.

Draper had previously faced unseeded opponents in his four matches at Flushing Meadows, winning each without losing a set. However, he encountered a significant challenge against the Australian, who had bested him in their prior three encounters.

Despite this, Draper encountered minimal resistance from De Minaur, who seemed to be affected by a hip injury, as he secured victory in just over two hours, setting up a semi-final clash against either Jannik Sinner or Daniil Medvedev.

"I believe I played a solid match. I feel that I am in the best physical condition I have been in for a long time, which has been a factor in my previous encounters with Alex," Draper remarked during his on-court interview.

"I also sensed that he was experiencing some difficulties today, which may have contributed to my success. I have great respect for Alex; he is an incredible competitor and an outstanding player, and I anticipate many more contests between us in the future."

From the outset, De Minaur struggled to establish his rhythm, suffering an early break that set the match's tone, leading to a series of unforced errors as Draper surged to a 4-1 advantage.

Under pressure, the Australian increased the power of his forehand, yet Draper maintained strong serving to secure the first set.

In the second set, with Draper leading by a break at 2-1, play was momentarily halted due to injury concerns for both players.

De Minaur, who had withdrawn from a Wimbledon quarter-final in July due to a hip issue, appeared to touch his hip while moving cautiously, while Draper requested a timeout to have his right thigh bandaged.

Upon the resumption of play, De Minaur managed to break serve, equalizing the set at 4-4. However, Draper demonstrated remarkable resilience in overcoming his injury, breaking serve in the 11th game and subsequently consolidating his advantage to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Unfortunately, De Minaur was unable to recover from his own injury, and his physical condition continued to decline as the match progressed.

In the third set, he struggled to match Draper's strength and accuracy, resulting in two consecutive breaks of serve and ultimately leading to his fourth defeat in a Grand Slam quarter-final throughout his career.

Draper is set to face another significant challenge against either Sinner, the Australian Open champion, or Medvedev, the 2021 US Open winner, who are scheduled to compete later on Wednesday.

"I am an avid sports enthusiast and a passionate tennis fan, so I will certainly be watching the match tonight if it does not run too late," Draper remarked.

"Moreover, I will take the time to savor the victory and unwind."