Jack Draper set his sights on qualifying for the ATP Finals next season after narrowly failing to pick up a first tour title at the Sofia Open.
The 21-year-old was the youngest British player to reach an ATP Tour decider since Andy Murray in 2009 but he was unable to find a way past wily French veteran Adrian Mannarino.
Mannarino, 35, has been in excellent form and one break in the deciding set proved enough for him to secure a 7-6 (6) 2-6 6-3 victory in the Bulgarian capital.
But this week has been another reminder that, if fit, Draper can be a force at the top of the game and he believes he could be among the leading eight players in the world in 2024.
Citing the swift rise of last year’s Sofia runner-up Holger Rune, he told reporters in Bulgaria: “Hopefully that’s the same for me. Obviously I’m disappointed I lost in the final but I’ll keep working and hopefully I do well next year and can be in Turin.”
Draper dropped serve in the opening game but hit back straight away and there was nothing to choose between the pair until the first point against serve at 6-6 in the tie-break.
The powerful Englishman found the perfect response with a break at the start of the second set and looked to be in the ascendancy going into the third.
But Mannarino began to apply some consistent pressure to his serve and a break for 4-2 proved the crucial moment, with Draper unable to convert two chances in the final game.
It has nevertheless been an excellent week for the young Londoner, who was on a nine-match winning streak after lifting a title on the second tier Challenger Tour last week in Bergamo.
“I think there wasn’t much to it to be honest,” said Draper. “It was a really tight first set. Adrian’s obviously played a lot of matches this year. He’s having a great season. And fair play to him. I guess sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and today wasn’t my day.”
Draper’s rapid progress has stalled this season because of injury, notably a shoulder problem that caused him to miss Wimbledon, but he believes he used the time away wisely.
“I feel so motivated to want to work so hard every match for every point and compete well,” he said. “And I think with the time I’ve missed off the court, that really helps me coming on to the court, because I haven’t been able to have the opportunity to play as many events.
“I just had a long hard look at myself. I felt like there wasn’t much that I’d done wrong. Watching lots of the tennis was really difficult and seeing my ranking drop.
“But I went straight back to it, worked really hard on my physical state and worked hard mentally to get myself back in a position that, when I was fit, I was able to perform at the highest level again and be better than I was. I’m just proud of the way I’ve come back after such a tough year.”
Draper is next set to be in action in Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga later this month, where it would be a big surprise if he was not given the nod as the second singles player.
Nadal facing difficult decision over French Open involvement
Rafael Nadal will do everything he can to play at the French Open this month, but he admits he has a decision to make on his involvement after crashing out of the Italian Open on Saturday.
Nadal – a 10-time champion in Rome – suffered a resounding 6-1 6-3 defeat against Hubert Hurkacz on the clay, the Pole producing a polished performance to halt his run in the second round.
The Spaniard has said he will likely call time on his glittering career at the end of the season, having been troubled by hip and abdominal injuries in recent years.
The 37-year-old was also beaten by Jiri Lehecka in the last 16 at the Madrid Open last month, and he acknowledges he is currently some way short of the level required to challenge for a record-extending 15th French Open title.
Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Nadal said: "The time has come to make a decision, in case I might not play Roland-Garros.
"One is to say, 'okay, I am not ready, I am not playing well enough'.
"Another is to accept how I am today and work the proper way to try to be in a different way in two weeks. If I have to say which side I lean towards, it's to try to play it and give my best.
"Physically I have some issues, but probably not enough to say no to playing in the most important event of my tennis career."
The year's second grand slam begins at Roland Garros on May 20, with the men's singles final taking place on June 9.
Medvedev and Osaka through with straight-sets wins at Italian Open
Daniil Medvedev and Noami Osaka both advanced at the Italian Open with straight-sets wins on Saturday, the former eliminating Britain's Jack Draper with a 7-5 6-4 success.
Second seed Medvedev – who won the Rome event last year – was tested by Draper, the world number four saving seven of 10 break points faced in a one-hour, 47-minute contest.
Draper was in the ascendency when he broke Medvedev's serve to make it 5-5 in the first set, but Medvedev hit straight back before serving out the opener.
The Russian stepped things up from there and raced into a 5-1 lead in the second set, one Draper was unable to overturn as Medvedev teed up a last-32 clash with Hamad Medjedovic for Sunday.
In the women's draw, four-time grand slam champion Osaka overcame 10th seed Daria Kasatkina in another impressive straight-sets triumph, two days after recording her first clay-court win over a top-20 opponent in Marta Kostyuk.
She eased to a 6-3 6-3 victory in Saturday's last-32 encounter and will now face China's Qinwen Zheng for a place in the quarter-finals on Monday.
Data Debrief: Osaka's new love for clay
Coming into this year's Italian Open, Osaka was 0-8 throughout her career against top-20 opponents on clay, but she has now recorded two such wins in a row for the very first time.
Nadal crashes out of Italian Open with straight-sets defeat to Hurkacz
Rafael Nadal is out of the Italian Open after he was defeated in straight sets by Hubert Hurkacz in Rome on Saturday.
Nadal is a 10-time Italian Open champion, but his chances of an 11th and likely final title in Rome were ended in ruthless fashion by Hurkacz, who dominated on his way to a comfortable 6-1 6-3 triumph.
While Nadal held in his first service game of the second-round match, Hurkacz quickly took over and broke his 37-year-old opponent twice as he controlled the opening set.
Nadal showed some resolve in the second set, but a break of his serve in the third game left him with an uphill battle.
World number nine Hurkacz was in charge, and it was a position of control he would not relinquish as he broke Nadal once more to clinch victory.
Hurkacz will now take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry as he bids to reach the fourth round for the maiden time in Rome. For Nadal, who has indicated he will retire after the 2024 season, this will not have been how he wished to bow out in Rome as he prepares for the start of the French Open later this month.
Data debrief
Hurkacz became just the third player to concede fewer than five games en route to victory over Nadal on clay at ATP level, along with Olivier Rochus (Mallorca round of 16 2002) and Gaston Gaudio (Hamburg round of 16 2003).
Hurkacz dominated his contest with Nadal, winning all eight of his service games and breaking the 22-time grand slam champion on four occasions as he eased into the fourth round.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
