Cincinnati Open: Jack Draper beaten by Martin Landaluce in first round after blowing six set-point chances to level match
Jack Draper beaten in straight sets in first round of Cincinnati Open; Draper had six set-point chances to level match; watch the Cincinnati Open until August 24 with the US Open starting on August 30, all live on Sky Sports Tennis
Friday 14 August 2026 09:01, UK
Jack Draper lost 6-3 7-5 to Martin Landaluce in the first round of the Cincinnati Open after blowing six set-point chances to level the match.
Little more than a week on from a first-round defeat in Montreal on his return from injury, Draper was once more unable to maintain a consistent level as he succumbed to the Spaniard.
After being broken in the first game of the match on his way to losing the first set, Draper looked set to level when he went 5-2 up in the second having secured a double-break.
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However, he would fail to take six set points spread across the next three games as Landaluce broke twice to level at 5-5.
Draper saved a match point for Landaluce before bringing up a chance of his own to force a tie-break, but he was denied before his opponent closed out the match in just short of two hours.
The 24-year-old appeared extremely glum in the closing stages, but at least appeared to finish the match without any major fitness issues.
During his defeat to Terence Atmane in Montreal, the power of Draper's shots notably dropped off in the third set, while he was also in tears during the changeover.
The circumstances in Montreal suggested Draper had reaggravated the left-arm injury that has plagued him since June 2025, at which point he had reached a career-high world ranking of fourth, but a swift return to the practice courts in Cincinnati calmed concern over his physical state.
While only Draper and his team know his true physical condition, it is clear that he is struggling to find anything like his best form, with the final major of the year - the US Open - starting in New York on August 30.
'A difficult place'
"It's the same as last week, the way I'm usually able to fight for every ball and conduct myself, it's just missing," Draper told the Guardian.
"Obviously, the conditions and all the things that I'm changing is very hard to manage, but I think from just an internal point of view, it's a difficult place to be right now.
"It's got to a point with me where it's taken probably one of my biggest qualities, my fighting spirit.
"There's a level of chronic pain that's always with you. When you've got that on your playing arm - this is my life, this is my career, you know?
"When you've got an injury that is tough to come past and tough to understand, there's many challenges, there's many obstacles."
Norrie fights back to beat Prizmic
Cameron Norrie continued his strong form by coming from behind to beat Croatia's Dino Prizmic.
Norrie lost the first set but showed his trademark grit to come through 3-6 6-1 6-4 in just short of two hours.
After a six-match losing streak that included a first-round exit at Wimbledon, Norrie has found form on the hard courts.
He reached the semi-finals at the Los Cabos Open in Mexico, before following that up with an impressive run to the last eight at the Masters 1000 event in Montreal.
However, he faces a tough task to go any further in Cincinnati, with top seed Alexander Zverev awaiting him in the second round after receiving a bye.
Watch the ATP and WTA Tours and US Open from August 30, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app.
