Alcaraz Advances to Australian Open Quarterfinals After Draper Retires

MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals on Sunday after his opponent, Jack Draper, retired due to injury during their fourth-round match at Melbourne Park. The Spaniard led 7-5, 6-1 when Draper, who had battled through five-set matches in the previous rounds, was forced to withdraw.

Draper, who had been managing tendinitis in his hip throughout the tournament, received an off-court medical timeout at the end of the first set. Alcaraz, the No. 3 seed, expressed mixed emotions about the victory. “It’s not the way I want to win the match to get through to the next round,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “I’m just happy to play in another quarter-final in Australia but a little bit sad for Jack. He’s a nice person. He doesn’t deserve to get injured.”

Alcaraz, who is aiming to become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam, will face either Novak Djokovic or Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals. Djokovic, a record 10-time Australian Open champion, and Lehecka were set to play their fourth-round match later on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz has now reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the 10th time, equaling the Open Era record for the most quarterfinal appearances by a man aged 21 or under. He has already won the US Open (2022, 2024), Wimbledon (2023, 2024), and the French Open (2024).

Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz said, “I am just happy with the level that I’m playing on the court. Off the court, I’m feeling really comfortable here in Australia. Physically, I’m feeling great, so coming into the second week of a Grand Slam, it’s really important to feel well because the matches are even tougher. I’m just ready.”

Draper’s retirement came after Alcaraz had overcome a first-set lapse. The Spaniard had taken an early 5-2 lead but allowed Draper to level the set at 5-5. However, Alcaraz regained control, winning eight of the next nine games before Draper’s withdrawal.

Alcaraz’s next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the Djokovic-Lehecka match. “I’m going to watch that one for sure,” Alcaraz said. “I have to recover now, as good as I can with my team. I’m going to try to take the time to watch it. That guy called Novak, I played a few times against him. Jiri as well – it’s going to be a really interesting match to watch, and I hope people are going to enjoy that match as much as I do.”