EMMA’S OUT BUT JACK’S KOK-A-HOOP

JACK DRAPER flew the flag for the Brits at the Madrid Open after huge disappointment for Emma Raducanu and Harriet Dart.

Draper had lost his last three matches on a deciding-set tie-break but this time he was on the right end of a three-setter, beating Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3 3-6 7-5

The world No. 43 (top) said: “At 6-5 I was thinking ‘this is definitely going to be another tiebreak the way he’s serving.’ It’s been tough taking all these three-setters and it can get in your head a little bit for sure.

“But that’s when you think ‘well, I’m giving myself an opportunity in these situations, now I’ve got to be a bit braver and try something different’.”

Draper is now keen to get revenge on world No.9 Hubert Hurkacz, who beat him in Monte Carlo.

It was a different story for Raducanu, who returned to Madrid 12 months after she pulled out of the tournament and ended her season to have surgery. The world No.221 lost 6-2 6-2 to Argentine qualifier Maria

Lourdes Carle and admitted she was emotionally drained. Raducanu (above) said: “I’m going to take a few days off and rest because I’ve been going non-stop for the last month.

“Before the Billie Jean King Cup I had two weeks of really intense training and then went straight there, straight to Stuttgart, straight here.

“So I’m going to just recharge.

From the performance today it was very clear that mentally and emotionally I was exhausted.”

Dart’s debut in the Madrid Open main draw ended in defeat as she lost 6-4 6-4 to Cristina Bucsa.

Rafael Nadal has cast doubt on the likelihood of a farewell appearance at the French Open. The 14-time champion returned to action in Barcelona last week after suffering a hip issue at his comeback tournament in January following a year out.

Speaking ahead of his Madrid opener today against 16-year-old American wild card Darwin Blanch, Nadal said: “Some moments I find myself enjoying being on court, playing against the best players again, but other moments I feel limitations.

“If I arrive in Paris the way I feel today, I will not play.”