Draper struggles against Opelka’s power British number two Jack Draper exited the Miami Open after a straight-sets defeat to Reilly Opelka in the second round. The American dominated with his serve, firing 25 aces and 47 winners to seal a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-0) win in just 93 minutes. Draper, ranked 26th in the world, found it difficult to handle Opelka’s height and power, especially during the tie-breaks.
Comeback phase continues for Draper The 24-year-old had entered the tournament on the back of a strong run at Indian Wells, including a win over Novak Djokovic. However, after returning from a long injury lay-off, consistency remains a challenge. Draper admitted he is still in the early phase of his comeback and needs time to regain rhythm. The loss could also affect his rankings, especially after losing the British number one spot to Cameron Norrie.
Boulter battles through tough contest In contrast, Katie Boulter moved into the third round after a gritty match against Clara Tauson. Boulter lost the first set in a tie-break despite leading 5-3 but bounced back strongly to take the second set 6-4. She then edged ahead in the third before Tauson was forced to retire due to injury.
Top seeds progress in Miami Elsewhere, world number one Carlos Alcaraz defeated João Fonseca in straight sets to book a clash with Sebastian Korda. In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff came from a set down to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto, while Aryna Sabalenka secured a hard-fought win over Ann Li.
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