French Open: GB's Draper breaks Fonseca in first set - radio & text

BBC News

31-05-2025

Update:
Date: 14:03 BST
Title: Post
Content: Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros
It's very hot and sticky in Paris today - with the threat of thunderstorms hanging in the air.
That will make the conditions heavy and means Draper will have to hit through the ball even harder to make it travel.
After beating Monfils, he said the conditions felt like he was "hitting oranges" - the balls hit by youngsters learning the game because they bounce slower and lower.
It is likely to be the same again today.
Update:
Date: 14:02 BST
Title: Draper breaks
Content: Fonseca 1-2 Draper*
Jack Draper only needs one opportunity to snatch the early break, moving Joao Fonseca around the court before the Brazilian bails with a long forehand.
Great start for the British number one.
Update:
Date: 14:01 BST
Title: Break point Draper
Content: *Fonseca 1-1 Draper
Fonseca into the net. Break point.
Update:
Date: 14:01 BST
Title: Deuce on Fonseca's serve
Content: *Fonseca 1-1 Draper
Top tennis as Fonseca wellies a huge forehand cross-court, but Draper responds with an even bigger effort down the line which the Brazilian can't return.
15-30, another small opening, although the teenager soon gets his first serves in to make it to 40-30.
He comes to the net next point but exposes himself and Draper sends over a lovely passing winner. Deuce.
Update:
Date: 13:59 BST
Title: 'Fonseca will have to dig deep'
Content: *Fonseca 1-1 Draper
Ryan HarrisonFormer American tennis player on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds
I imagine Joao Fonseca will have to dig deep if he is to beat Jack Draper.
Update:
Date: 13:58 BST
Title: Post
Content: Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros
Over the past year, Draper has developed into a leading player with genuine ambitions of landing the biggest prizes in the sport.
After two chastening previous experiences on the Paris clay, Draper has returned with a point to prove.
The manner in which the 23-year-old Englishman has reached the French Open third round has been another example of his growing maturity.
Patience has been required in his victories over Italy's Mattia Bellucci and French veteran Gael Monfils.
You would imagine that will be the same again. Draper should be able to exploit the vulnerability of Fonseca, who can still show a teenage tempestuous streak.
Update:
Date: 13:57 BST
Title: Draper holds
Content: *Fonseca 1-1 Draper
What were you doing at 18? I try not to remember what I was like as a teenager but I'm certain I never played a match in the third round of the French Open.
Draper's movement is terrific in this next game as he sprints forward to whack a winner at the net.
Hold to 15.
Update:
Date: 13:55 BST
Title: Baby-faced Fonseca chaperoned by his mum
Content: Fonseca v Draper
Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros
Sometimes it is easy to forget how young professional athletes are - especially when you're seeing them whack ferocious forehand winners like Joao Fonseca.
Recently, I was reminded of Joao Fonseca's age - 18 - when we met at the Madrid Open for an interview.
Shy and softly-spoken, his demeanour was still very child-like. The baby face was another sign.
When he walked into the room for our interview, he was chaperoned by an older woman who initially cast a suspicious eye towards me. Turned out afterwards it was his mother Roberta.
Roberta and her husband Christiano are guiding their son's career as they aim to shelter him somewhat from the glare of the ever-increasing hype.
Update:
Date: 13:54 BST
Title: Fonseca holds
Content: Fonseca 1-0 Draper*
Already a chance for Draper as Fonseca goes long with a forehand to bring up 30-30.
But on the next point the Briton is never really in it as Fonseca serves out wide and then hits a winner to the opposite corner.
Same again on the next point helps the young Brazilian to a hold.
Update:
Date: 13:52 BST
Title: Post
Content: *Fonseca 0-0 Draper
And we're off. Joao Fonseca takes the first point after a quick rally.
*denotes next server
Update:
Date: 13:50 BST
Title: Post
Content: Warm ups are done. The players fiddle with their towels for a bit and then we're ready to get under way.
Update:
Date: 13:50 BST
Title: 'Something special about Fonseca'
Content: Fonseca v Draper
Annabel CroftFormer British number one on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 and BBC Sounds
They have met once before and Jack Draper took Joao Fonseca quite comfortably on the hard court but Fonseca is explosive, he has got a huge fan base, there is something really special about him and the way that he hits a ball.
We will be hearing about him for many years to come. People are just following him to take a look at him but I think Draper is able to cope with anything at the moment. He was so impressive against [Gael] Monfils.
Having said that, so was Fonseca when he won Buenos Aires. He took on three Argentine players in a very raucous crowd and he coped with all of it and won all three matches and beat one to take the title so that says a lot about his ability to cope with pressure and have a very strong mindset.
I wouldn't be surprised if Draper and Fonseca are competing for some of the biggest titles in the future.
Update:
Date: 13:49 BST
Title: Brazil's 'great hope' to end Grand Slam drought
Content: Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros
Brazilian fans took over Argentine capital Buenos Aires when Fonseca won there earlier this year
The hype is continuing to build around the youngster labelled Brazil's newest sporting superstar.
Football icons Ronaldo and Neymar have sent congratulatory messages while primetime Brazilian chat shows are desperate to have Fonseca on the sofa - an offer so far resisted by his representatives.
A carnival atmosphere led by thousands of Brazilians has followed Fonseca this year from Melbourne to Miami - and in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro.
Read why Fonseca has created such a stir.
Update:
Date: 13:48 BST
Title: Post
Content: Fonseca v Draper
Draper and Fonesca are warming up. Fonesca's wearing that colourful pastel top that he wore during his last victory.
Draper's got on red and even darker red stripes. On the TV pictures he's blending in with the red clay surface. Camouflage?
Update:
Date: 13:47 BST
Title: Who is Draper's opponent Joao Fonesca?
Content: Fonseca vs Draper
Jonathan JurejkoBBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros
Most outside of the tennis bubble have never heard of Joao Fonseca, but the world number 65 is creating a real stir inside it.
Fonseca had already captured the locker room's attention when he won the ATP Next Gen title - the end-of-season finals contested by players under the age of 21 - last year.
A bigger breakthrough came when he stunned eighth seed Andrey Rublev at January's Australian Open on his Grand Slam debut.
Less than a month later, Fonseca landed the biggest title of his career at an ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires.
However, a run of just four wins in nine ATP Tour-level matches - including a 6-4 6-0 defeat by Draper at Indian Wells - has tempered expectations.
Update:
Date: 13:46 BST
Title: Not much I can improve - Sinner
Content: Sinner 6-0 6-1 6-2 Lehecka
Italian top seed Jannik Sinner speaking after his ruthless straight sets victory over Czech Jiri Lehecka:
'Today I was playing really well, especially for two and a
half sets. He was serving well, very brave, he made some good serve and volleys.
I'm very happy. We have played a couple of times before so we know what to
expect.'
"My coach had his birthday yesterday and usually I don't play
good after his birthday but luckily this performance was good, it goes to him. Thank
you so much for coming it was an amazing atmosphere.'
On playing so well:
'This morning I said to my team I'm feeling well and physically
ready. We had to go hard in the beginning because the beginning in Grand Slams
is very important for confidence. I warmed up well, I felt very good so after 20-25
minutes I was feeling brave."
"It was a relaxed morning. My team give me the
right tactics, I tried to play them in the match so it's a combination of also being
happy on court – it's very important.'
What will Sinner do on his rest day
'The day after is very important for me. I'm going to try
and sleep in the morning – its very important. Usually we play for one hour and
give good focus, try to prepare for the next match. We try to improve."
"After today
I don't think there's much I can improve but every opponent is different. I'm
happy to be in the next round, happy to be here in Paris, thank you for the
support you've been amazing.'
Update:
Date: 13:44 BST
Title: Post
Content: Sinner 6-0 6-1 6-2 Lehecka
It's an earlier than usual start for us, and that's mainly because the match before Draper's has just seen top seed Jannik Sinner ruthlessly demolish Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Lehecka once schooled Cam Norrie at the French Open a few years back. But he's been made to look very ordinary by the world number one.
Update:
Date: 13:42 BST
Title: Post
Content: Fonseca vs Draper
It ain't bad being a Jack Draper fan right now.
The British number one if on fine form in clay having reached the semi-finals of the Madrid Open and final of the Italian Open.
He's the fifth seed in Paris, and will be guaranteed the world number four spot at the end of this tournament.
So far he's battled past tricky Italian Mattia Bellucci and he's overcome intense home support to beat Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Update:
Date: 13:40 BST
Title: Hello!
Content: Before this year Jack Draper had never won a match at the French Open.
Now he's a victory away from the second week.
Ready for some more vintage stuff from Jack? He'll be playing in the next 15 minutes.