Draper survives another five-set marathon to beat Vukic and make Australian Open last 16

No 15 seed Jack Draper defeated Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

It is the third successive match in a row that the Briton has been taken to five sets, as well as needing to fight back from 2-1 down in each encounter.

Yet Draper has done it again, taking down a home favourite for the second match in a row to book his place in the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career.

While the physical and mental toll of these matches will surely leave him as an overwhelming underdog against world No 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the next match, Draper coming through three consecutive marathon matches is a hugely positive sign for a player whose early career was defined by stamina, endurance and physical issues.

It is testament to the hard work he has put in that he is now winning these matches consistently.

“Firstly, Alex played incredible. It was an unbelievably tough match. Both of us have played a lot of sets in our first couple of rounds so I knew it was going to be a really tough match. There were so many ebbs and flows. It was just great tennis. I always appreciate you guys staying out so late for us, it was a great match,” Draper said in his on-court interview.

“My body doesn’t feel too great, luckily I have a good physio! I think mentally I have really competed hard. I have loved the atmosphere and playing in front of loads of people. It’s given me a lot of energy to keep pushing, so I’m surprising myself.

“I’m just thinking about my recovery and getting off the court to be honest. I don’t want to think about him yet. Carlos is a special talent, an unbelieve player and someone I have a good relationship with. I think it’s going to be an incredible match and hopefully my body pulls up and I can give it my all. It will be a great contest.”

Jack Draper won against Argentinian Mariano Navone (4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2) and Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3) earlier in the tournament.

In the previous rounds of the first Grand Slam tournament in 2025, Vukic, ranked No 68, beat Bosnian Damir Dzumhur (6-7 (3), 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4) and American Sebastian Korda, the No 22 seed (6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5).

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other third-round results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 60.627.573, most recent results first):

• Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Holger Rune
• Jannik Sinner vs. Marcos Giron
• Ben Shelton vs. Lorenzo Musetti
• Corentin Moutet vs. Learner Tien
• Lorenzo Sonego vs. Fabian Marozsan
• Francisco Cerundolo vs. Alex De Minaur
• Taylor Fritz vs. Gael Monfils
• Alex Michelsen vs. Karen Khachanov
• Jiri Lehecka (24) beat Benjamin Bonzi: 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
• Novak Djokovic (7) beat Tomas Machac (26): 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
• Ugo Humbert (14) beat Arthur Fils (20): 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 1-0 ret.
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Jakub Mensik: 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-2
• Alexander Zverev (2) beat Jacob Fearnley: 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz beat Nuno Borges: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2
• Tommy Paul (12) beat Roberto Carballes Baena: 7-6, 6-2, 6-0