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Jack Draper avenges Andy Murray with victory in Stuttgart Open

Jack Draper avenges Andy Murray with victory in Stuttgart Open
© Reuters
Jack Draper advances to the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open by defeating Andy Murray's conqueror Marcos Giron, while Katie Boulter continues her Nottingham defence.

Great Britain's Jack Draper progressed to the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open with a valiant three-set success over Marcos Giron in Wednesday's second-round showdown.

The sixth seed was denied an all-British affair with Andy Murray in the second round by Giron, who dispatched the veteran in straight sets in round one while Draper got the job done against Sebastian Ofner.

The American forced Draper to go the distance in a gripping contest, but the 22-year-old - still chasing his first title on the ATP Tour - held his nerve to prevail 6-4 4-6 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes.

Saving four of the five break points that Giron managed to conjure up, Draper recovered expertly from losing the second set, storming into a 3-0 lead in the decider and closing out the battle with his 37th winner of the afternoon.

The British number two also won an impressive 84% of points behind his first serve and is rewarded with a daunting quarter-final against defending champion Frances Tiafoe, a 7-5 7-6[5] victor over Germany's Yannick Hanfmann.

Speaking of title holders getting the job done, Katie Boulter emulated Draper's second-round feats at the Nottingham Open, where she remains on course for back-to-back honours thanks to her beating of Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino.

Katie Boulter reacts at the Nottingham Open on June 10, 2024© Reuters

On the back of her gruelling three-set success over compatriot Harriet Dart, Boulter strolled to a more straightforward 6-4 6-3 win this time around, taking just one hour and 14 minutes to book her place in the quarters.

Boutler benefitted from seven double faults from the qualifier and took four of the five break points that came her way to make it to the last eight, where she will clash with Magdalena Frech or Tatjana Maria.

However, wild card Heather Watson saw her Nottingham run come to an end with a 4-6 4-6 defeat to former world number one Karolina Pliskova, but Dan Evans made it to the quarters of the respective men's Challenger event, sinking 2023 Wimbledon Boys' champion Henry Searle 7-6[4] 7-6[5].

Evans's success saw the British number three set up a showdown with countryman Charles Broom, who bested eighth seed Lloyd Harris 7-6[2] 2-6 6-4, thereby guaranteeing at least one British semi-finalist

Emma Raducanu, Cameron Norrie back in action on Thursday

The second-round Nottingham ties conclude on Thursday, where British number one Cameron Norrie pits his wits against Jack Pinnington Jones, and Billy Harris will face Joao Fonseca.

In the women's draw, fans will flock to see Emma Raducanu face Daria Snigur - who memorably beat Simona Halep at the 2022 US Open for her first-ever top-level win - while Francesca Jones takes on Ashlyn Krueger to face the winner of the aforementioned tie.

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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Emma Raducanu reacts on June 11, 2024
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