By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 27, 2024
Jack Draper overcame mid-match nerves to close out Karen Khachanov for his biggest career title in Vienna.
Photo Source: TTV
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 27, 2024
Jack Draper was well on his way to a lopsided victory over Karen Khachanov in Sunday’s Vienna final, but his work was far from done.
Trailing 6-4, 4-0, a determined Khachanov reeled off five consecutive games to put the pressure on the 22-year-old Brit.
Draper rose to the occasion, striking back to win the last three games as he clinched his maiden ATP 500 title, 6-4, 7-5.
“I was playing so good, and the momentum shifted a little bit. Honestly I didn’t feel like I was too nervous or too tight, I just missed a few balls here and there, maybe a couple of wrong decisions,” 2024 US Open finalist Draper said of the final.
The Brit improved to 2-2 against Khachanov and 37-21 on the season, claiming his second title of the year and becoming the first player to win Vienna on his main draw debut since recently retired Andy Murray in 2014.
Draper, who will rise to a career-high ranking of 15 in next week’s ATP rankings, also became the fourth British man to win in Vienna, and the first since Murray in 2016.
It could have easily gone awry and Draper showed plenty of poise by drilling down and putting the previous five games behind him.
“Karen started swinging,” Draper said. “He started to pick up his level. That’s a testament to how good he is.”
Khachanov entered the match on an eight-match winning streak, having claimed the title in Almaty last week. On Sunday, in front of 8,000 at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, the 28-year-old Russian was on the back foot from the start and was quickly down a double break in the second.
“I was thinking I was playing against Playstation in the beginning,” Khachanov said after the match with a wry smile. “No chance.”
He drops to 33-21 on the season.
“You deserve it. You are rising up this season, especially,” Khachanov told Draper during the award ceremony. “I wish you all the success in the future and I’m looking forward to sharing the court once again with you, to take the revenge from this one.”