British men’s number one Jack Draper succumbed to the intense Paris heat, exiting the Olympics singles in the second round with a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 2-6 defeat to American seventh seed Taylor Fritz on the Roland Garros clay.
Draper, 22, started strong, taking the first set with aggressive play. However, he failed to convert six break points in the third game of the second set. Fritz’s resilience in the heat proved decisive. The American, 26, capitalized on a lengthy rally in the fourth game, which seemed to drain Draper’s energy.
Draper, ranked 27th in the world, was broken in the sixth game and struggled to regain his footing as temperatures soared above 30°C. He eventually lost 10 of the next 13 games, with his groundstrokes losing accuracy and serves losing power. Reflecting on the match, Draper said, “It is the hottest conditions since I’ve been out in America at the start of the year, so I’m not used to it. My physicality still has to get better but I gave my all.”
Coco Gauff and Other Top Seeds Face Shock Defeats
In women’s singles, American second seed Coco Gauff faced a surprising exit in the third round, losing 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 to Croatia’s Donna Vekic. Gauff, 20, a favorite for a medal and the reigning US Open champion, was unable to match Vekic, who has been in excellent form, having reached the Wimbledon final earlier this month.
German veteran Angelique Kerber continued her farewell tour with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. Kerber, who announced her retirement after the Games, is enjoying a strong run.
American Danielle Collins, also set to retire later this year, advanced to the quarter-finals. Collins, who is ranked in the world’s top 10, overcame Colombia’s Camila Osario 6-0 4-6 6-3, continuing her farewell journey on a high note.
