Draper Defeats De Minaur to Reach US Open Semi-Finals

Jack Draper advanced to his first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open by defeating Alex de Minaur with scores of 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Draper, aged 22, demonstrated strong performance and determination throughout the match. He sought medical attention for a leg issue early in the second set, while De Minaur, the 10th seed from Australia, appeared to be dealing with injury problems of his own.

Playing his debut match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Draper became the first British man to reach the semi-finals in New York since Andy Murray's 2012 title. He is set to face either world number one Jannik Sinner or 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals on Friday.

"Honestly, to be out here in my first match on the biggest court in the world is a dream come true," Draper stated. "I think he was maybe struggling which may have helped me."

Draper's performance has drawn comparisons to Emma Raducanu's unexpected US Open victory three years ago. Like Raducanu, Draper reached the semi-finals without dropping a set. However, Draper's recent success follows a year where he fulfilled long-anticipated potential.

Previously, Draper was a junior Wimbledon runner-up and took a set off Novak Djokovic during his Grand Slam debut at 19. Despite injuries last year that caused him to fall outside the top 100, Draper has climbed to British number one as of June and is currently ranked 25th in the world.

During his quarter-final match, De Minaur, who was appearing in his fourth Slam quarter-final, showed signs of discomfort from the start. His brief practice session earlier in the day lasted only 15 minutes.

De Minaur struggled physically, clutching his hip and receiving on-court treatment. Draper, despite having his upper thigh taped, managed to maintain his performance. He had multiple break points to advance to a 5-2 lead, but initially failed to convert them.

As the match progressed, Draper's powerful serve and forehand proved effective, with the final set concluding in just 32 minutes. Draper's win makes him the third British man since Murray to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.

Draper now has 48 hours to recover before attempting to advance to the final, a milestone that Kyle Edmund at the 2018 Australian Open and Cameron Norrie at Wimbledon in 2022 did not achieve.