British Tennis Shines in Madrid: Draper, Fearnley, and Norrie Advance to Last 32

British Tennis Stars Excel in Madrid

Jack Draper, Jacob Fearnley, and Cameron Norrie have all advanced to the last 32 of the Madrid Open, highlighting the depth of British tennis. Draper, the fifth seed, secured a decisive victory over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands with a score of 6-3, 6-4. This win sets up an exciting third-round match against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy.

Fearnley's Breakthrough Victory

Jacob Fearnley, ranked 68th globally, achieved a significant milestone by defeating a top-20 player for the first time. He overcame a challenging start against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, the 19th seed, to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Fearnley's next challenge will be against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, the 15th seed and a former Grand Slam semi-finalist.

Norrie's Continued Success

Cameron Norrie, now ranked 91st, continued his impressive form in Madrid with a comeback victory over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, the 26th seed, with scores of 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. Norrie is set to face Canadian lucky loser Gabriel Diallo in the next round.

Draper's Optimistic Outlook

Draper expressed his enthusiasm for the current state of British tennis, praising both Fearnley and Norrie for their performances. "Cam obviously had an injury last year so to see him coming back is great," Draper told Sky Sports. "And Jacob, someone my age, incredible player. The British public don't really know much about him yet but he's going to be, I think, one of the best players in the world."

Overcoming Challenges

Draper reflected on his own journey, bouncing back from a disappointing defeat in Monte Carlo to perform strongly in Madrid. "I'm still relatively new to the clay so I knew it was going to be a tough challenge," he said. "Everything was ticking over really nicely so I hope I can carry on gaining more and more confidence and getting more and more effective on this surface."

Fearnley's Resilience

Fearnley shared his experience of overcoming a twisted ankle during the match, which surprisingly aided his performance. "It actually helped, believe it or not. The doctor gave me some painkillers and I was serving that last set some of the best I've served in a long time," he said. He also emphasized the importance of gaining experience in major tournaments to improve his game.