Jack Draper battles back to defeat Moutet in Rome after chaotic start

Jack Draper Gives Brutally Honest Verdict After Bizarre Win Over Moutet in Rome

Jack Draper powered through an unorthodox and dizzying challenge from Corentin Moutet to advance to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open, where he will face world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz. But the British star didn’t hold back in his post-match reaction to one of the strangest contests of his career.

‘I was bamboozled’

Draper, ranked No.5 in the world and aiming for a spot in the top four, struggled to contain Moutet’s chaotic style in a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback victory. Speaking after the match, Draper was candid about the early turmoil:

“I was bamboozled at the start, to be honest. I haven’t played someone like that… well, ever. I just felt like I was on a string, like I didn’t know what I was doing.”

Moutet, known for his unpredictable tennis and theatrical on-court behavior, raced through the first set using an eclectic mix of drop shots, lobs and serve-volley attacks, leaving Draper visibly disoriented.

Turning the tide

Despite a woeful opening, Draper regrouped with remarkable composure, clawing his way back into the match by winning a tight second set. A key moment came at 3-3 in the second, when a drop shot challenge from Moutet prompted a VAR review. The decision stood in Draper’s favour, halting Moutet’s momentum and sparking a shift in intensity.

“I was looking at the slide marks on the clay after one game and I’d literally covered the whole court… my brain was dizzy from it,” Draper added, describing the early stages as mentally exhausting.

The Brit broke for 5-3 shortly after, roaring in celebration, while Moutet flung his racket into the backboard in frustration.

Late drama and mental strength

Moutet fought back briefly in the second, but Draper held firm, eventually sealing the set before Moutet took a five-minute toilet break in a final attempt to reset the rhythm.

In the third, cramps caught up with Moutet after his grueling schedule in Rome, and Draper capitalized, breaking decisively and maintaining composure to serve out the match—despite a brief wobble at 15-30.

The gritty win marked a milestone: Draper is now the youngest British man in the Open Era to reach the Rome quarter-finals.

Draper vs Alcaraz: Round Three in 2025

The reward for Draper’s resilience is a third encounter this year with Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion and top clay-court player in the world.

Their head-to-head is finely balanced: Draper retired in the Australian Open clash, won at Indian Wells, and previously beat Alcaraz on grass at Queen’s Club. But this will be their first meeting on clay—a surface that heavily favours the Spaniard.

Draper, however, isn’t intimidated.

“I don’t want to be normal. I want to be right up there,” he declared earlier this week after a previous win.

Fatigue mounting, but momentum continues

Having reached the final in Madrid just before Rome, Draper’s recent stretch has been mentally draining, yet he has refused to let exhaustion dictate his results. With the French Open looming, he’ll look to recharge but remains focused on building his clay-court résumé.

For now, his resilience is paying off.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for complete coverage of Draper vs Alcaraz, the Italian Open’s biggest moments, and the road to Roland Garros.