Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jack Draper in Italian Open quarter-finals with straight sets win

Carlos Alcaraz knocks Jack Draper out of Italian Open with straight sets win in quarter-finals

Carlos Alcaraz reaffirmed his clay-court dominance on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jack Draper in the Italian Open quarter-finals, sending the Brit home after one of the tournament’s most compelling contests.

While the match showcased high-quality tennis from both sides, Draper expressed deep frustration with his own performance, stating: "I'm very disappointed with the way I performed… I don’t want to be normal. I want to be right up there."

A fierce battle in Rome

Alcaraz, 22, looked composed and strategic throughout the match, particularly in the key moments. Despite the relatively narrow scorelines, the Spaniard made the difference by capitalising on all four of his break point opportunities, while Draper converted just two of eight.

The Brit had success on his serve, often breezing through games, but three breaks to love from Alcaraz, plus another to 15, sealed the contest in the Spaniard’s favour.

Draper rues missed chances

Coming off a taxing four-week swing that included a run to the Madrid Open final, Draper admitted to struggling with consistency over the course of this Italian campaign.

"Today against someone like that, you can't have those dips in your standards because you get punished,” he said. “Throughout the week I've been struggling to maintain my quality throughout the matches."

Despite a solid showing and many positives in his performances over recent weeks, Draper refused to console himself with moral victories. His ambition remains clear: to reach the same level as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, two of the game’s current elite.

Alcaraz stays in control

Alcaraz, now the firm favourite heading into the semi-finals, reflected on lessons learned from his previous loss to Draper at Indian Wells.

“The most important thing today was not thinking about the result… the strategy was to do the things that make me happy: play aggressive, drop shots, go to the net,” he said. “That made the difference.”

The win represented a personal milestone for Alcaraz as well, overcoming a player who had unsettled him in past meetings. His aggressive and expressive style served him well once again on the clay of Rome.

Silver linings for Draper

While the loss stings, Draper may ultimately benefit from the early exit. The extended Masters tournaments can be mentally draining, and with around a week to recover, the 22-year-old will now turn his attention to Roland Garros.

The British No.1 has shown marked improvement on clay – historically an unfavourable surface for players from the UK – and will arrive in Paris with momentum and belief.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for full coverage of Roland Garros, including updates on Alcaraz’s title push and Draper’s journey on the red dirt.