Aleksandar Vukic stunned 22nd-seeded American Sebastian Korda in the second round to set up a third-round clash against 15th-seeded Brit Jack Draper. Both players had won their first two rounds in five thrilling sets.
The Brit had scraped past Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round on a rowdy John Cain Arena, where he battled the Aussie and the fans.
Vukic opened the match aggressively, attacking off the forehand wing. He added in a drop shot to take the Brit off guard, breaking in the very first game.
Both players continued to hold strong service games. Vukic then took a drive volley forehand out of the air for a winner down the line to hold and go up 4-2.
But Draper had other plans for the set. The Brit held to love, pressing to the net more often. Draper used his second set point opportunity on the Vukic serve with a drop shot to steal the set.
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Vukic again opened the set brilliantly breaking in the first game to go up 1-0. He had a 40-0 advantage on serve before the Brit brought it back to deuce. But Vukic pulled through holding to consolidate the break and lead 2-0.
He consolidated once again with the help of errors coming off the Brit's racquet. Vukic was firmly in control, breaking once again with the help of a double fault of the racquet of Draper to lead 5-0.
But Draper found a way to take the next two games to bring the score to 5-2 for the Aussie. In his second attempt to serve out the set, Vukic fired his second ace of the game to hold to love and ensure the match would at least go to four sets.
At 5-5 in the third, Vukic forced two backhand errors and was then handed two double faults to take the only break of the set and lead 6-5. The Aussie used the momentum to hold with an ace and bring himself within one set of a maiden fourth-round berth at a Grand Slam.
The fourth set began much like the third, with both players holding albeit facing significantly tough service games. Both players seemed laser-focused, using aggression to continue to hold out service games regardless of the returner's pressure.
Draper held assertively to take a 6-5 lead. He continued with the momentum taking a 0-30 lead on the Aussie’s serve.
But Vukic hit a brilliant drop shot, and Draper hit a backhand unforced error to make it 30-30. However, the Brit created a set point for himself with a forehand error from the Aussie. But Vukic played clutch tennis, saving the set point with a marvellous forehand winner.
Draper then ran to the net, hitting a brilliant forehand volley on the stretch to set up his second set point. Vukic sprinted to the net, hitting an incredible touch backhand volley to save yet another set point. The Sydneysider dug deep to hold and take it to a tiebreak as the crowd roared on Margaret Court Arena.
Vukic continued to press with the forehand to force an error from the Brit and make the score 3-3 as the players switched sides. Vukic managed to win his next service point with a stunning backhand passing shot as the Brit rushed to the net.
Draper then slammed a smash to equalise the score at 4-4. He took a 5-4 lead charging to the net, forcing an error with a deep forehand volley. Vukic pressed with aggression as Draper scrambled to return every ball, finishing off an amazing point with a stunning smash winner to bring the score to 5-5.
But a brilliant backhand down the line gave Draper the first mini-break of the tie-break and a set point. He only needed the one finishing it off with a forehand winner to take the tiebreak seven points to five, forcing yet another fifth set.
You could see just how much each player wanted the match by the fire in their eyes. They each held comfortably to open up the first set. The length of the rallies started to get longer, as Draper was the first to apply pressure on the Vukic serve creating a break point opportunity in the third game. Vukic missed an inside-in forehand, handing Draper the break and a 2-1 lead.
The Brit consolidated with the help of errors of the Aussie’s racquet and a forehand winner to take the game and a 3-1 lead.
Draper hit a magical forehand passing shot winning from the splits to create a fourth break point opportunity. But Vukic continued to fight, slamming an inside-in forehand winner to bring it back to deuce. He managed to hold on and yelled, "Come on", pumping up the crowd with his arms. The Brit led 3-2 with one break.
A forehand winner and two backhand errors gave Vukic three breakpoint opportunities at 0-40. Two big serves by the Brit made it 30-40. But the Aussie created pure magic with a backhand crosscourt passing shot to take the break and equalise the set at 3-3. The crowd erupted with a standing ovation.
Both players showed no signs of slowing down, continually going for big shots off both wings. But a sizzling forehand winner down the line allowed Vukic to hold and lead 5-4.
Draper held to love in his final service game to force the match into a deciding ten-point tiebreak.
The first point saw the Brit take a mini-break, with a Vukic forehand sailing into the net. He followed it up with an ace and strong serve to lead 3-0.
Vukic then led for the first time in the tiebreak by winning both points on serve to make it 5-4.
Draper retaliated with a big serve to level at 5-5. However, Vukic then hit a beautiful backhand drop shot that Draper could not reach to take another mini-break and lead 6-5.
The No.15 seeded Brit stepped inside the court and slammed a brilliant backhand crosscourt winner to win another mini-break and lead 7-6.
Vukic fended off the first match point with a Draper unforced forehand error. A massive serve by the Brit then ended what could be regarded as the match of the tournament.
The sensational match lasted three hours and 48 minutes, with the final score showcasing just how close it was, 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6(8).
Draper booked his ticket into the fourth round against third-seed Carlos Alcaraz with his third consecutive five-set victory, and his second in a row against an Australian.
After the match, Vukic commented on his effort.
"Very bittersweet, but yeah, I have nothing to be ashamed of," the Aussie stated.
"I played a really good match from my end. Left it all out there."
Draper was proud of the way he competed and said this result is attributed to his hard work on and off the court.
"I think it's a real testament to the work I've put in physically and the competitive side of things and the mental part as well," Draper said.
"So very proud of my efforts so far."
The Brit further commented on his thoughts ahead of his fourth-round match against Alcaraz.
"I need to be brave in the way I play, but I'm expecting him to come out and know that I've played three five-setters and know that he's got a battle on his hands, and he's going to have to play good," the Brit stated.
"It will be a great contest, I'm sure."
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