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Jack Draper enjoys winning return as Dominic Thiem says goodbye

pa sport staff
·2-min read

Jack Draper marked his comeback from injury with victory over Kei Nishikori as Dominic Thiem’s tennis career came to an end on home soil at the Erste Bank Open.

Draper, who retired during his quarter-final against Ugo Humbert at the ATP Tour event in Tokyo last month due to an abdominal injury then withdrew from the Shanghai Masters, won 7-6 (5) 7-5.

The British number one was forced to dig deep in a contest lasting one hour and 37 minutes, battling back from 5-3 down in the first set to force a tie-break, where he trailed 3-1 before prevailing.

A nip-and-tuck second set followed and Nishikori faulted while serving to stay in the contest, saving one match point but then sending a forehand long from the next to hand Draper the win.

Draper will next face Italy’s Luciano Darderi, who defeated former world number three and 2020 US Open champion Thiem 7-6 (6) 6-2 to bring the Austrian’s professional journey to a conclusion.

Thiem, whose career has been blighted by injuries since his lone grand-slam triumph, announced in May this season would be his last and he led 4-2 in the first set then 3-0 and 5-2 in the breaker.

But world number 42 Darderi hit back to take the first set then comfortably won the second, with the crowd holding up special cards displaying the Austrian flag and the words ‘Danke Dominic’ (Thank You Dominic) after the match.

Thiem, a 17-time winner on the ATP Tour, then placed the racquet he had been playing with into a special glass case, which will be auctioned off.

The 31-year-old, runner-up at the French Open twice and Australian Open once, said: “I’ve had so many nice goodbyes in the last few months, but today I want to say thank you for all the sensational years.

“I am only a part of this career. The whole journey has been an absolute dream and I want this afternoon, this evening to be yours. I couldn’t have imagined it any better. Thank you.”

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Britain’s Cameron Norrie lost 6-4 7-6 (4) to America’s Frances Tiafoe.