Draper dodges trouble to win first match since Wimbledon; Fonseca advances

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Draper dodges trouble to win first match since Wimbledon; Fonseca advances

Briton is a defending semi-finalist in New York

Sarah Stier/Getty Images Jack Draper defeats Federico Agustin Gomez Monday inside Louis Armstrong Stadium to reach the second round of the US Open. By ATP Staff

Competing for the first time since Wimbledon due to an arm injury, Jack Draper did not have it easy Monday at the US Open. Nonetheless, the 2024 semi-finalist battled through at Flushing Meadows.

The fifth seed clawed past Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(7), for a place in the second round. Despite letting slip a match point in the third-set tie-break, this year’s Indian Wells champion rebounded with a clean performance in the fourth set to advance after three hours and one minute.

”Unbelievable to be out here in New York, playing on Louis Armstrong. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to make it here this year, but we did a great job with the team since Wimbledon to get myself back on court,” Draper said in his on-court interview. “It wasn’t my finest performance, but credit to my opponent, he played some outstanding tennis and I look forward to hopefully improving and getting better as the tournament carries on.”

The 23-year-old has been out of action due to bone stress and bone bruising in his left humerus. “I felt like my arm was shutting down a little bit when I was hitting forehands and on the serve, as well,” he said.

Draper did not hit groundstrokes for two-and-a-half weeks or serves for about a month. The big-serving lefty averaged just less than 110 miles per hour on his first serve Monday, but it was enough to navigate past Gomez.

The Argentine saved one match point on his own serve in the third-set tie-break, blistering a forehand, one of 50 winners he hit in the match. Draper broke early in the fourth set and did not relinquish his advantage.

The 23-year-old’s next opponent, Bergs, eased past Chun-Hsin Tseng 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 earlier in the day. The Briton leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 1-0, a victory in the first round of Wimbledon in 2022.

Draper earned his biggest major breakthrough at the US Open last year, when he was No. 25 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Now World No. 5, he is back for more in New York and will next take on Belgian Zizou Bergs.

“I’m not putting too much expectations on myself. I feel like I’ve put in the work. I know that if I can get that level back, I’m going to be really tough to beat,” Draper said. “Obviously there are so many amazing players in this draw, but the main thing is I’m just so happy to be able to compete here in front of you guys in New York.”

In other early action Monday, #NextGenATP star Joao Fonseca hit 51 winners in a 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-3 triumph against Miomir Kecmanovic, this year’s Delray Beach titlist.

Fonseca has thrived at the majors in 2025, upsetting Andrey Rublev at the Australian Open as a qualifier before making the third round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

One year ago, Fonseca was World No. 162 when he lost in qualifying at Flushing Meadows. The 19-year-old is now World No. 45, one place off his career-high PIF ATP Ranking.

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