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It was game, set, and match for Jack Draper on March 17 after he defeated Denmark’s Holger Rune to win the Indian Wells Open. Jack Draper, fresh off his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, faced an unexpected early exit at the Miami Open. In the second round, he was defeated by 19-year-old Czech player Jakub Mensik in straight sets, both decided by tie-breaks, 7-6(2), 7-6(3).
Mensik's performance was outstanding, particularly his serving, as he fired 21 aces and maintained composure in crucial moments. This victory improved his record against top 10 players to 6-5.
There was another notable event during Draper’s match concerning the Brazilian fans. The match experienced a brief interruption due to a scheduling change that displeased Brazilian fans, leading to loud booing and a temporary halt as they exited the venue. This disruption seemed to affect Draper's momentum. Originally, Brazilian fans had filled the Grandstand court anticipating the match between their compatriot Joao Fonseca and Ugo Humbert. However, organizers decided to move Fonseca's match to the main Stadium Court to accommodate more spectators.
I can understand their frustration: Draper talks about the stadium change incident
This unexpected change angered the Brazilian fans, who expressed their frustration with loud boos and a mass exodus from the Grandstand. The noise and movement led Draper, who was leading 4-3 in the second set, to request a temporary halt to his match until the situation stabilized. He even spoke about the incident during his post-match conference. He said, “I mean I didn’t really know what was going on at first. Obviously, it was getting quite loud and you couldn't hear the ball being hit…I can understand their frustration.”
Draper was not the only unexpected exit from the Miami open as Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz also crashed out unexpectedly in the second round of the Miami Open. In his opening match, he faced Belgium's David Goffin and, despite securing the first set, ultimately lost with scores of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Despite the loss, Draper's recent achievements, including his rise to the top 10 and his Indian Wells triumph, highlight his potential as a future Grand Slam contender.
