Jack Draper addresses angry Italian Open incident as Brit ‘bamboozled’ | Tennis | Sport

Jack Draper admitted that he was left “dizzy” and “bamboozled” by Corentin Moutet as he addressed their incident-filled last-16 clash at the Italian Open. The Brit won 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 after his opponent called for a VAR review to overturn a point awarded to Draper in the second set.

Moutet felt that there was a double bounce before Draper got the ball back over the net, but Draper was adamant that the umpire made the right call. The Frenchman raged at the umpire in a moment that swung the momentum and the support of the crowd in Draper’s favour.

At 3-3 in the second set, on Draper’s serve, the British No. 1 stretched to get to a shot close to the net over it. Moutet was unable to return but he immediately went to the official and called for a VAR review, insisting that Draper had hit the ball into the clay and bounced it over the net.

Nico Helmweth, the German umpire overseeing proceedings, ruled after a video review that Draper had not made any indiscretion with his return and was awarded the point.

Draper explained the matter to Sky Sports’ Gigi Salmon: “I believe I got the ball up. I couldn’t really see it on the screen too well. I thought I got it up. He said I hit the ball into the ground but on the review – and the ref looked at it closely – it looked like the ball went up. I don’t know – it felt like I got it up.”

Moutet also sent two underarm serves Draper’s way, with mixed results, that led to the 26-year-old being roundly booed by those at the Super Tennis Arena. Moutet threw his racket into the air in frustration en route to being broken in the deciding set, as Draper booked a spot in his first Italian Open quarter-final – against Carlos Alcaraz.

After becoming just the second British player in 45 years to reach this stage of the competition, after Andy Murray, Draper praised Moutet and admitted he was left “bamboozled”, especially in the early exchanges.

“Proud of my efforts today honestly,” he added. “I was a bit bamboozled at the start to be honest. I hadn’t played somebody like that, well, ever, I don’t think. I felt like I was on a string. I didn’t know what I was doing. Then I came out in the second set and just fought for every point and found a way in the end to pick up my level and it was a good one to come through. It feels good.

“In the first set I came out and I felt good. I just completely lost my way. I had a word with myself after the first set. I really needed to knuckle down and focus. I knew that his level probably wasn’t going to drop because he was being so clean off his serve with the next shots. I knew I just had to stay there every point and give myself the best opportunity to compete for every point to win the match.

“I was all over the court. At one point I was looking at the slides I had been doing in one game and I was literally covering the whole court with drop shots. I don’t know what was going on. My brain, I got like dizziness from it. Credit to Corentin, he honestly played a great match. To come through that one was amazing.

“There’s no doubt I came out pretty all over the place today. Part of that was to do with him. But I’m giving myself the best chance to be there every point. Obviously I’m in the quarter-finals now. There’s no time to be tired. I’ve got to keep pushing hard every point and I will do that.”