Jack Draper hasn't had the best year so far, but he certainly hopes to kick off the 2024 Italian Open well against Borna Coric.
Even though his results haven't been spectacular this year, it's pretty clear that Draper is a great player. His clay tennis is not up to his grass or hard-court tennis level, but he'll certainly get there with more experience.
A chance to get some more presents itself this week at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, where he'll start against Coric. The Croatian was once expected to become a regular Top 10 player, but it hasn't worked out that well so far.
He's had some amazing moments but, for the most part, hasn't looked very convincing. Injuries are partly to blame, but he's been injury-free this year and still hasn't played very well. He is more familiar with clay, though, so he should certainly have some chances in this match.
Draper and Coric haven't played against each other so far, which is interesting but also not that surprising. Neither of them pushes themselves too much and plays too many matches.
Coric is the more familiar player with clay, but we can't really say he's better. Draper can have his moments on the surface because he has the tools to be well on it.
It just hasn't really clicked for him yet. Neither has had an impressive season so far, so it's going to be a pretty competitive match between two players playing on a similar level.
| Jack Draper | Borna Coric | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | H2H | 0 |
| 40 | Rank | 55 |
| 22 | Age | 27 |
| 12-9 | 2024 W/L | 7-9 |
| 52-38 | Career W/L | 217-184 |
Coric seems just a little bit more comfortable on the surface. He's not playing well right now, but he can find the win in this match against the young Brit.
Prediction: Borna Coric to win in three sets.