Daily Mail

AND OUR BRITISH BOY HAD HIS OWN EPIC WIN

- By LAURA LAMBERT

BRITISH teenager Jack Draper endured a marathon Wimbledon battle to rival that of the giants on Centre Court, triumphing in an epic boys’ singles semi-final that lasted over four hours. Little separated the 16-year-old and Colombian fifth seed Nicolas Mejia on Court 3, as they challenged John Isner and Kevin Anderson for the mightiest tussle of the day. However, more than two hours after his first match point had come and gone, the unseeded Draper took his 10th opportunit­y to seal victory 7-6, 6-7, 19-17. On Sunday he could become the first Brit since Stanley Matthews, the son of the great footballer, in 1962 to be crowned boys’ singles champion. ‘I can’t feel my legs,’ he said with a smile after 4hr 24min on court. ‘Apart from that, I’m overwhelme­d by it all. I was happy with the way I came through it.’ Draper had edged a close first set tiebreak over 18-year-old Mejia and looked set to seal a straight-sets victory when 6-5 up in the second set tiebreak. After whipping a backhand down the line he moved as if to celebrate reaching the final, only to hear it had been called wide, and he had no challenges left to use. Mejia capitalise­d on Draper’s misbelief and took it into a deciding set, where the mammoth battle commenced. Finally, at 18-17 up and with an advantage on Mejia’s serve, Draper pushed the Colombian wide with a cross-court forehand and followed it up with an overhead smash for victory. Mejia duly broke down in tears, while Draper fell to his knees, as much in relief as exhaustion. ‘It was torture,’ said Draper. ‘I was glad to get it done in the end. I don’t think anything can really prepare you for that sort of match.’

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