Australian Open Tennis Qualifying Drama as Former Top-10 Player Advances

Former world No. 8 Jack Draper staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent Australian Open qualifying history, overcoming severe cramping and a two-set deficit to defeat Argentine qualifier Francisco Cerundolo 4-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in a match that lasted nearly four hours under the scorching Melbourne sun.

Draper, who fell outside the top 100 following a series of injuries in 2025, appeared to be heading for an early exit when he dropped the first two sets and required medical attention for cramping at the start of the third. The British left-hander was visibly struggling with the 38-degree heat and high humidity that has plagued the qualifying rounds.

"I honestly thought about retiring at two sets down," Draper admitted after the match. "My body was shutting down, but something inside me just refused to give up. This tournament means everything to me, and I knew if I could just get through this match, I could build some momentum."

The turning point came early in the third set when Draper began targeting Cerundolo's backhand with aggressive cross-court forehands. The Argentine, who had been controlling the match with his powerful groundstrokes, suddenly found himself on the defensive as Draper's shot-making became increasingly confident.

Cerundolo, ranked 127th in the world, had his own chances to close out the match, holding a break point at 5-4 in the third set that would have sealed his victory. However, Draper saved the crucial point with a perfectly timed serve-and-volley combination that caught his opponent off guard.

The victory sets up a second-round qualifying match against Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis, who defeated American Zachary Svajda in straight sets earlier in the day. Draper will need two more victories to earn a spot in the main draw of the tournament where he was once a semifinalist.