Draper, following his hard loss against Bublik: "I am incredibly disappointed"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 2 Jun 2025 | 22.11

Draper, following his tough defeat against Bublik: "I am incredibly disappointed." Photo: Getty Images

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Jack Draper was at a loss for words after his defeat in the Roland Garros 2025 round of 16 against Alexander Bublik (7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 4-6). The Briton had been making a name for himself on the clay court circuit, coming off reaching the round of 16 in Monte Carlo, the quarterfinals in Rome, and the final in Madrid. Impressive results for a player known to struggle on clay.

Arriving in Paris ranked fifth in the world, Draper had been navigating obstacles smoothly, defeating Mattia Bellucci, Gael Monfils, and Joao Fonseca. However, Bublik showcased his best clay court tennis in a long while, overcoming the Englishman. Draper expressed his disappointment, recognized Bublik's excellence, reflected on his clay court season, and looked ahead to Wimbledon during the press conference.

"Very hurt by the defeat"

"It was a tough match. I didn't play a great game, but not a bad one either. I think he played incredibly well. He didn't let me play my game. I feel like I haven't reached my best level this week. So just a couple of dips here and there today, and he took advantage. Usually, when you play against someone like Alexander, his level fluctuates quite a bit, but he was completely focused. Obviously, he's been like this all week, and that's why he beat De Minaur and other top players. Yes, it hurts a lot, but I have to move on."

"Overwhelmed by Bublik's drop shots"

"I didn't know what to do. Obviously, he served incredibly well, executing his shots well. You know, on the baseline shots, every time I left it a bit short, he used that drop shot. I don't know how many he played, but I don't think he missed almost any. They were all incredibly good. It's tough because when you know it's coming, but he can also unleash with his forehand, you don't know what to do. He was very focused, and his level hardly dropped."

"Arrived in Paris in great form"

"I'm incredibly disappointed with the result. Obviously, coming into the clay court season with very few wins on clay before. I acknowledge that, of course, but I felt good. I felt good coming into this tournament. I felt like my level was rising. Today was a very, very tough loss for me. In my journey, even though I've risen quickly this year and reached a high rank, I've always had a lot to learn. There have always been many adversities, many injuries, many setbacks. This is another one of those tough matches. I'll learn from it, improve, and use it to my advantage."

"No chance since the third set"

"In the third set, I disappointed myself. I came out, got broken, had opportunities at 2-1, and then I played a really poor game at 3-1, to go down 4-1, and then the set was over. But I still believe, obviously, that my level could have been better, of course. You know, even though I was playing well, stepping into everything, there was a possibility of a drop in my level. Obviously, the first game in the fourth came, and he hit four clean winners, I think. So it was tough, but yes, I always had the belief that I could turn things around. It's just that he was playing better tennis."

"Proud of the tennis displayed these months on clay and already thinking about grass"

"Although I'm devastated by today's loss and all of that, I'll be very happy to leave the clay courts. That's a fact. I'm very, very proud of my ability to adapt and accept the challenge of clay. I thought this year was going to be my showing on clay and doing well. I played in Monte Carlo and lost to Fokina. I thought it was going to be a disaster. Then, week by week, I progressed, learned a lot, and improved. I came here, won three matches, reached the fourth round. Probably not playing better tennis than in Madrid and Rome. I'll be happy to return to a faster surface, where I feel much more comfortable. Yes, I can't wait to return home, to the grass, for sure."

"In awe of the Kazakh's level"

"I don't know. I think it's tough. Was he playing this way because I allowed it? I'm not sure. But definitely, yes, he has an incredible serve. His backhand hardly missed today. The backhand didn't fail. He moved well. He was hitting incredible shots all over the place. I don't play many matches where I feel it's almost out of my control what's happening, and he made that happen today. That's what the best players do. They make you feel very uncomfortable and make you feel like you can't do much. He did that today. Yes, I'm not sure, but I don't think I've played many matches better than today's; I don't think so, but he can judge that. He's been exceptional, and he deserves credit. He played at a high level."

"No pressure or anxiety in facing Wimbledon"

"I haven't thought too much about it. Honestly, I've been focused on what I've been doing here. Obviously, I've talked in the past about anxiety and the US Open and all that kind of stuff, but I also had to learn a lot about why I was vomiting at the US Open. I found out it had to do with taking a lot of painkillers for an injury I had too. That wasn't anxiety. I think it will be an experience for me, for sure. I don't know what to expect. I feel confident. I feel happy. I've had many experiences this year playing against Australians in Australia and French players in France. There haven't been many places where I've had the crowd on my side, so it will be nice to be home and have the crowd on my side. I feel like I'm playing incredible tennis. Let's see what I can do there."

"Disappointed, but will come back stronger"

"I'm hurt and very disappointed. Today I had a chance, and I wasted it. It's hard for me to put things into perspective, but I think I'm proud of the effort I've put in on clay. I think I've improved a lot. I think last year I left here, with a first-round loss, being 40th in the world and very disappointed with my tennis and unsure where I wanted to go. This year I'm leaving as the world number 5. I've reached the fourth round. I'm playing consistently very good tennis week after week. Yes, I mean, I always use the lessons from my defeats. I always use the fuel and the pain to improve. Yes, it will probably take me a couple of days to get over it, but I will, and I'll move forward and keep improving," said a Draper who "bids farewell to Roland Garros as one of the top favorites," but proud of his great tennis displayed on clay. And now, without many regrets, it's time to think about Wimbledon.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Draper, tras su dura derrota ante Bublik: "Estoy increíblemente decepcionado"

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