Jack Draper Dominates O’Connell to Reach Qatar Open Quarter-Finals

DOHA, Qatar — British number one Jack Draper advanced to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory over Christopher O’Connell on Thursday.

Draper, ranked 16th in the world, completed the match in just 59 minutes and did not face a single break point. This marks his return to competition after a month-long layoff due to injury sustained during his match against Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open.

Showing no signs of his recent hip issue, Draper broke O’Connell’s serve in the opening game of the match and again at 4-2, efficiently closing out the first set in 28 minutes with a deft drop shot. The second set saw O’Connell manage only one game, succumbing to Draper’s relentless pressure.

“I felt great out there today. It was important to start strong and keep the momentum going,” Draper said in a post-match interview. “Playing against someone like O’Connell, you can’t let your guard down, and I think I managed that well.”

Draper will next face Matteo Berrettini, who claimed victory over Tallon Griekspoor with a scoreline of 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz, the four-time major winner, continues his impressive run after defeating Italy’s Luca Nardi 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Alcaraz, currently on a 12-match winning streak in ATP 500 events, is set to play Jiri Lehecka in his quarter-final.

In other action from Doha, Alex de Minaur celebrated his 200th career win on hard courts, overcoming Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4. He will meet fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who triumphed over Nuno Borges in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev also advanced, defeating Zizou Bergs with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 score. Medvedev will prepare for a match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, who received a walkover after Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic withdrew due to injury.