Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open 2025 in an unexpected manner on Sunday, January 19. His opponent, Jack Draper, was forced to retire due to injury after Alcaraz led the match 7-5, 6-1. Draper, who had been battling physical issues throughout the tournament, ultimately decided not to continue before the start of the third set. This was the second time in their careers that Draper had to retire against Alcaraz, with their previous meeting at Indian Wells in 2023 also being cut short due to an abdominal strain.
Draper, having played three grueling five-set matches in the earlier rounds, seemed to struggle with fatigue and wear-and-tear as the match progressed. While Draper has been a formidable opponent for Alcaraz in the past, their latest encounter began with an intense start. Both players were solid on serve in the early stages of the match, with the scoreline at 2-2 within the first 20 minutes. Alcaraz, however, was the first to break serve, taking a 5-2 lead in the first set. Draper fought back valiantly, breaking Alcaraz’s serve and reducing the deficit to 5-4 before leveling the score at 5-5 by holding his own serve.
Despite the break in momentum, Alcaraz remained composed, and he managed to break Draper’s serve once again to win the first set 7-5. However, this was the point at which Draper started showing signs of injury. He called for a medical timeout and left the court for treatment, but the injury appeared to severely hinder his ability to compete in the second set. Upon returning to the court, Draper struggled to match the intensity and quality of his game, allowing Alcaraz to dominate and take the second set in just 38 minutes with little resistance.
Following the second set, Draper consulted with his physio, and after a brief conversation, he made the difficult decision to retire from the match, thus handing Alcaraz a spot in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz, who had been in fine form, expressed his regret for the way the match had unfolded and the manner in which he advanced. “This is not the way that I want to get through to the next round,” Alcaraz stated on court. “I’m just happy to play another quarter-final here in Australia. But really sorry for Jack. He doesn’t deserve to get injured. He couldn’t prepare for the start of the season well.”
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Alcaraz, ever gracious, maintained a positive outlook on his progress in the tournament. As the quarterfinals approach, he will now face either Novak Djokovic or Jiri Lehecka in what is sure to be a thrilling contest. Alcaraz's injury-free run and impressive form throughout the competition have placed him among the favorites for the title, and he will be hoping to continue his strong performances as he aims for a potential Grand Slam victory. With Draper’s withdrawal, Alcaraz will likely be hoping that future matches unfold without such dramatic circumstances, but he remains focused on maintaining his momentum as he seeks his first Australian Open title.
