British number one Jack Draper suffered a surprising exit at the Miami Open, losing in straight sets to Jakub Mensik in the second round. This defeat comes just weeks after Draper’s triumphant victory at the Indian Wells Masters, where he cemented his place as one of the sport’s rising stars.

Match Breakdown

Draper started strongly, breaking Mensik’s serve in the opening game. However, the 19-year-old Czech player quickly leveled the score at 3-3 and dominated the rest of the match. Mensik’s powerful serve proved to be a game-changer, as he delivered an impressive 21 aces, four of which came during the first-set tie-break, which he won 7-6 (7-2).

The second set was equally intense. Draper led 4-3 when play was disrupted due to fan protests after the scheduling of another match led to delays. The atmosphere became tense, and Draper struggled to regain his rhythm after the pause. Mensik capitalized, forcing another tie-break and sealing the set 7-6 (7-3) to advance to the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Other Highlights from the Miami Open

• Alexander Zverev, the top seed, continued his dominant run with a straight-set victory over British player Jacob Fearnley, who is set to become the British number two after the tournament.
• Coleman Wong of Hong Kong secured his first top-20 win, defeating American Ben Shelton in a thrilling three-set match.
• Taylor Fritz, the American third seed, comfortably moved to the next round with a win over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.

Draper’s exit is a reminder of the unpredictability of tennis, even for players in top form. Meanwhile, Mensik’s performance signals his growing confidence on the big stage.