Jack Draper: I’m so disappointed with Wimbledon second-round exit – I really struggle on grass | Tennis News

Jack Draper in Great Britain could not fail to hide his huge disappointment after his release from Wimbledon shock in the second round in the hands of Marin Cilic, 36, conceding: “I really fight on the grass.”

Draper, who entered the tournament this year as the fourth seeded and strongly imagined to contest, was beaten 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4 by the Croatian on the first courtyard.

Cilic had failed to play Wimbledon since 2021 due to a serious and recurrent injury on the knee, but he beat the Brit 13 years his junior.

“I was really disappointed with how my game was on the grass this year, in all honesty,” said Draper to the media after defeat.

“I didn’t feel too well at Queen’s. I do not know how I did the semi-finals there and I gave myself a chance to make the final.

“It pointed out to me this year that I really have a hard time. I felt good on the hard field, I felt on the clay. My game, I had the impression that there was not many holes, while as soon as I came on the grass, I felt a big difference.

“It’s just something I have to keep in mind, how I’m going to develop my long -term game for next year, just to improve as a player.

“It is sure that it highlighted a lot of weaknesses in my game, especially against a player as he played today, someone as good as him on the grass.”

Invited to develop the weaknesses that the Grasscourt exhibits in his game, Draper replied: “I think the hole in my forehand appeared, that’s for sure. I could not face his ball pace in my forehand. I was shooting too much.

“I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand, when I have more time, it’s much easier for me because I can create the speed and rotation I want, and the efficiency of that.

“Obviously, my movement could have been better. There are many areas of my game on which I really really need to work to be the player I want to be.

“I want to have the impression that everything in my game is secure. I think that’s what you see with the best guys. They are so consistent all the time because there are no holes in their game.

“The last two weeks have been good for me to see that, even if I had such an incredible progression on the last kind of 12 months, I still have a lot of areas that I need to improve in my game.

“In some respects, it’s exciting, and in some ways, it’s difficult to manage because I thought I was ahead of where I was.”

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