Richard Pagliaro | @tennis_now | Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Image source: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Roman red clay is a key platform Carlos Alcaraz.
When the third seed Arkaraz faces the fifth seed Jack Draper The Spanish superstar will be driven by two main motivations in a clash of the blockbuster Rome quarterfinals.
The third seed Alkaraz conquered Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 arrived at his top-choice quarterfinals today. Alcaraz completed the quarterfinals, reaching the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slams and each ATP Masters 1000 event.
Draper defeated Corentin Moutet 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 advanced to his third annual quarterfinals.
Alcaraz is seeking revenge for his disappointing Indian Wells semi-final loss to Draper and finished second for his Roland Garros title defense by entering the Rome Final Four.
The two won the Australian Open this season with Alcaraz, Draper won two meetings due to injury, before the left-handed British defeated the Wimbledon championship twice in Palm Springs. Alcaraz, who won three of five meetings, said he was eager to take revenge.
“I’m just ready. I’m just looking forward to fighting him,” Alkaraz said of Draper. “He is one of the best players in the world right now. The results show how it’s been recently.
“Yes, I just want to avenge my revenge from Indian Wells. I will try my best to be prepared, not Indian Wells. It will be a fun game and a match.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5loej3slxts
Draper directed the center of the court with his forehand, playing more fire and desire in the desert, his second defeat of Alkaraz in the last three games.
Last June, Draper defeated Alcaraz 7-6 (3) 6-3 on the grass at Queens Club. This means that if Draper Downs Alcaraz is in their Rome rematch, he will win in all three major ostensibly four Grand Slam titles over the past 11 months.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfmapq36r3k
“Obviously, I think we’re both in the top five in the world right now. But I think these are two guys who are playing tennis there, wanting to win there, beat each other, compete for competition,” Draper said in Rome. “I respect him so much. I know what he’s going to bring. He’s going to be hard to beat.
“I think we’re playing tomorrow. Obviously, there’s a little bit of a change in the dynamics. I feel strong and I feel good about the game. I hope I can bring some really good tennis.”
Alcaraz is one of the best porters on natural surfaces in the world, winning 24 games in the last 26 clay games and reaching the Rome quarterfinals 12-1 in the dirt this season, including a title last month at Monte-Carlo.
Although Draper’s fierce forehand helped him beat the top five, Alcaraz said the U.S. Open’s full-game ability makes him the most dangerous.
“He’s really solid. He’s really solid,” Alkaraz said of Draper. “He’s really passionate. His footage is great and really positive at every moment.
“He was trying to do his best and it made him really hard. Every point was a fight. Physically, he made a lot of progress. Serve, everything, I mean, he was really very complete player.”
