Draper Attributes Miami Open Defeat to Crowd Noise
Upset Loss Against Mensik Overshadowed by Fan Disruption
British tennis player Jack Draper stated that he “couldn’t hear the ball” at times during his second-round loss to Jakub Mensik at the Miami Open. The match, which saw Draper defeated in straight sets by his younger opponent, was significantly impacted by disruptive crowd behavior.
Draper: “Couldn’t Really Hear the Ball” Amidst Raucous Spectacle
The match was temporarily halted due to a large influx of Brazilian tennis enthusiasts. These fans, initially present to support Joao Fonseca, realized that Fonseca’s match had been relocated to a different court. Fonseca, who later secured a straight-sets victory against Ugo Humbert, was originally scheduled to play on the same court as Draper, but his match was moved to the main stadium at the last minute.
The spectators had been creating considerable noise throughout Draper’s match, a point he addressed in his post-match comments. Speaking to Sky Sports, Draper explained: “I didn’t really know what was going on; it was becoming quite loud, and I couldn’t really hear the ball being struck.”
“I believe those Brazilian supporters had been in the stadium all day anticipating [Fonseca’s] match, and then, understandably, they changed the court. It’s not ideal, and I can comprehend their frustration; we had to pause play for a short period.”
Sympathy for Supporters Amidst Stadium Relocation
However, Draper expressed understanding for the supporters who had gathered in large numbers to support Fonseca. The 22-year-old added: “The support is fantastic, especially at this tournament where I don’t perceive the crowd attendance to be particularly high. It’s unfair to the fans if they are unable to access the central court. I can appreciate their frustration; I was merely confused about the situation.”
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Pundit Condemns Handling of Court Change
Sky Sports commentator Laura Robson, reacting to the unfolding situation courtside, remarked: “It’s truly unbelievable. The boos are completely justified because it has just been announced that Fonseca versus Humbert is being moved to the stadium court. All these Brazilian fans have been seated here for hours, and they are only now discovering this and attempting to move. The queues to enter will be immense.”
“You feel immense sympathy for them, and it severely complicates matters for the two players on court. There is excessive commotion surrounding the crowd, and they are simply trying to play tennis. The scenes here are extraordinary!”
Mensik Advances to Next Round
Despite the disruptions, the victory marks another significant achievement for Mensik, who has now claimed six wins against top-10 ranked opponents. The Czech player stated post-match: “The serve was paramount today. That was crucial. I anticipated a challenging tie-breaker, and the fans were difficult today, so I concentrated on maintaining focus. It was a critical juncture in the match, so I had to remain focused.”
Faces Safiullin for Last-16 Berth
The 19-year-old is set to compete against Roman Safiullin for a place in the round of 16 after the Russian player defeated Alexei Popyrin in their second-round encounter at the Miami Open.