Jack Draper returned to the ATP Tour with a straight-sets win at the Lexus Eastbourne Open on Monday, beating lucky loser Marcos Giron 6-4, 7-6(5) on the grass in 85 minutes. Former world No. 1 Andy Murray, who is mentoring Draper during the grass-court swing, watched from his player box.
Impressive Comeback After Injury
Back in action for the first time since April due to a knee injury, the 24-year-old showcased a blend of sharp defense and powerful hitting. Despite being broken to love while serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set, Draper managed to close it out in a tie-break. He concluded the match with 30 winners and an impressive 79% of points won behind his first serve.
Draper is set to face fellow Briton Jack Pinnington Jones in the second round. Pinnington Jones, a wild card entrant, saved a match point earlier in the day to defeat Marco Trungelliti with scores of 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. This marks Draper’s second main-draw appearance at the Eastbourne tournament; he reached the semi-finals in his debut in 2022.
In other matches on Monday, Gabriel Diallo broke a five-match tour-level losing streak by overcoming left-hander Terence Atmane with scores of 6-7(9), 6-4, 7-5. Additionally, British qualifier Jan Choinski staged a comeback to defeat Alexei Popyrin 1-6, 6-2, 6-2, thus setting up a meeting with the top seed and four-time Eastbourne champion, Taylor Fritz.
The Eastbourne Open continues to be a significant event for players looking to gain momentum on grass ahead of the Grand Slam season. With Draper making a strong return and other British players also performing well, the tournament promises exciting matchups in the upcoming rounds.