Jannik Sinner Calls Potential French Open Quarterfinal Opponent Jack Draper ‘Most Consistent Player’ on Tour

Jannik Sinner improved his head-to-head record over Jiri Lehecka to 3-0 after crushing him in the French Open third round.

Jannik Sinner Calls Potential French Open Quarterfinal Opponent Jack Draper ‘Most Consistent Player’ on Tour

Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ, British Tennis Players)

Jannik Sinner is sometimes not kind to his opponents. Even on clay, which is his least favorite surface, he turns into a beast and starts to provide bagels and breadsticks.

On Saturday (May 31), Sinner needed just one hour and 34 minutes to move into the fourth round. Against him was World No.34 Jiri Lehecka, who was successful in winning a total of three games throughout the match. Lehecka was jubilant after saving himself from getting a second bagel. When the score read 5-0 in the second set, his win in the sixth game saw the Suzanne Lenglen crowd erupting in applause while the Czech ace laughed, made a fist, and punched the chair.

Sinner’s good friend Jack Draper too has been inching closer to his maiden Grand Slam victory. Right before Sinner’s match, Draper played his third round where Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca was no match for him as with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 scoreline, he moved into the last 16 for the first time in the clay-court major. Sinner, after his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Lehecka, was all praise for the Briton, calling him the most consistent player of the season.

I always love to play against him (Draper). He’s a huge competitor. I’m very happy for him. I’m the first person who’s so happy for him. He’s gonna make an incredible career. I wish him only the best. He’s a very consistent player since last year at US Open. This year, maybe the most consistent player we have on tour.

Jannik Sinner said at the press conference

Sinner and Draper will meet if they both defeat Andrey Rublev and Alexander Bublik in their respective fourth round. They have played two matches and hold a 1-1 head-to-head record. If they meet, then it will be their first clash on clay.

Jannik Sinner is staying grounded despite producing his best performance

Last month, when the tennis world wondered how Jannik Sinner would fare at the Italian Open after making his comeback from the three-month doping ban, Sinner did not show any signs of rust, producing his best performance when he demolished two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud 6-0, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.

Jannik Sinner (2)
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Now Jiri Lehecka was at the receiving end of Sinner’s brutal performance. According to Sinner, he wants to save his energy by spending less time in the early stage of Grand Slam tournaments.

But he knows that things can change abruptly in the next match because of different conditions, and if he doesn’t maintain a high level of concentration. Right after knocking out Ruud, Sinner was handed a breadstick by Tommy Paul in the semifinals.

In the French Open fourth round, Sinner won’t be facing an easy opponent. He will be playing Andrey Rublev, who will come into the match more rested because he received a walkover from Arthur Fils before the third-round clash.

He [Lehecka] has shown it throughout his career. Again, happy with how things are going so far, but, on the other hand, things can change from one day to another. We saw it in Rome. I played an almost perfect match against Casper Ruud, and then I struggled in the next round. Yes, I just try to focus on each day, and we’ll see how it goes.

Jannik Sinner said at the press conference

Sinner holds a 6-3 lead in the head-to-head matchups against Rublev, who produced his best in the clay-court Major when he made it to the quarterfinals in 2020 and 2022. The three-time Grand Slam champion, on the other hand, is a semifinalist in Paris, reaching the stage last year, losing a five-set thriller to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz, who he could face in the final this time.

Also read: Jannik Sinner Shares Insightful Solution to the Women’s Scheduling Debate at Roland Garros