British star Jack Draper is up for a mega challenge in Paris! He’ll face Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the R16 of the 2024 Paris Masters. De Minaur is currently defying all the pains in a last-ditch to qualify for next month’s ATP Finals for the first time. Just a few days ago, the Aussie claimed that he had been dealing with a tear, in his words, at the insertion of the adductor longus muscle on the right side into the fibrocartilage. “There’s a sharp pain with [certain] movements, and it makes it tough to go out and be my usual self,” he claimed. However, he has already got off to a winning start to his campaign in Paris! Can he hold on to this winning momentum?

Alex de Minaur vs Jack Draper: Preview

Alex de Minaur started his season pretty well, he won the Mexican Open by defeating the Norwegian superstar, Casper Ruud in the final by 6-4,6-4. After that, his second title triumph came at the s-Hertogenbosch, NL. However, ever since suffering an injury at the Wimbledon Championships this year, de Minaur has failed to win a title. He made a few deep runs in this time span but failed to make it count when it mattered the most. However, in Paris, he has looked quite impressive so far! Alex de Minaur defeated Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the first round by 7-5,6-1 and then in the second match, he beat Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanović by two sets.

Jack Draper started his season with a bang! He reached the final of the Adelaide International but unfortunately for the Brit, he was defeated by Jiri Lehecka (CZE) in the final. Apart from that, Draper later managed to win two titles (Stuttgart Open and Vienna Open) this season. The 22-year-old tennis star also reached his first Grand Slam SF at the 2024 US Open. What a season this has been for Jack Draper! In this tournament he defeated Jiri Lehecka in the R64 by two sets and then in the second match, Draper beat America’s Taylor Fritz by 7-6(6),4-6,6-4. Can he overcome yet another hurdle in Paris?

De Minaur vs Draper: Head-to-Head

Alex de Minaur has played against Jack Draper four times in his career and two out of those four have come in this season itself. Currently, the Aussie has a lead of 3-1 over Draper in the H2H.

• 2024 US Open QF: Draper 6-3,7-5,6-2.
• 2024 Acapulco SF: De Minaur 6-3,2-6,4-0 (retired).
• 2023 Tokyo R32: De Minaur 4-6,7-6(4),7-6(1).
• 2022 Wimbledon R64: De Minaur 5-7,7-6(0),6-2,6-3.

Prediction: Draper to win in three sets

Looking at the form Jack Draper is in at the moment, it’s very hard to keep him out of any race! Especially when we’re seeing Alex de Minaur claiming about his struggles due to some injury concerns. De Minaur reached the QF of the Paris Masters last year, while Draper’s best result in this tournament has been reaching the second round in 2022. In this season, Jack Draper (15) has a win-loss record of 38-21, while Alex de Minaur (10) has a win-loss record of 47-17.

The Aussie looks slightly ahead on paper, but considering the current scenarios and their performance in the last few matches, we feel Draper might have the edge in this match. Jack Draper has reached two indoor finals in his career and won his first title on this surface last week in Vienna. However, Alex de Minaur has reached three indoor finals but has yet to win a title.

If we take a look at their playing styles, Alex de Minaur is a good returner of the ball and he’s mainly known for his pace and agility on the court. Now, with the fitness concerns, we’re not sure how much will be on display in this tournament! Apart from that, de Minaur also has a unique ability to retrieve seemingly impossible balls and hit winners from even the defensive positions. He can also inject a sudden pace into his rallies to surprise his opponents. Now, if we talk about his weak points, then the first thing that strikes our mind is Alex de Minaur’s backhand. His backhand is comparatively weaker than his forehand on the offensive side.

While Jack Draper is a natural right-hander, however, he plays with his left land. He is known for his powerful baseline game and is often seen putting his opponents into some real trouble with his fiery serves. Draper also has a good volley in his armory and even his backhand shots are more than capable of causing a few troubles for the world number 10! So, considering all these factors we think Jack Draper might seal the deal with a fine margin in this epic clash at the Paris Masters.