Jack Draper vs Gabriel Diallo LIVE
Jack Draper eased into the semi-finals at the Eastbourne Open with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Gabriel Diallo. The British No3, playing for the first time on the Sussex coast in four years, moved into the last four with a 6-1 6-4 victory on Thursday to follow up his two-set win over Jack Pinnington Jones the day previously.
Draper, who slid to as far as world No160 following his year of injury hell, is playing a tournament for the first time since the Barcelona Open, where he withdrew midway through his first-round match, back in April. He is hoping to make a statement return at Wimbledon next week, under new coach Sir Andy Murray, who was not seen courtside at Devonshire Park, despite being sat in Draper’s players’ box for his previous two encounters.
Draper will face either Ugo Humbert or Quentin Halys in the semi-final, meaning he is guaranteed to take on a Frenchman. Humbert is the sixth seed, while Halys was reintegrated into the draw as a lucky loser after being defeated in qualifying.
Jack Draper vs Gabriel Diallo latest updates
- Game, set and match! Draper through to last four
Game, set and match! Draper 6-1 6-4 Diallo
15:49 , Oli Gent
A superb inside-out forehand winner opens Draper’s account as he serves for the match. Diallo sends a forehand into the atmosphere for 30-0, but to the crowd’s disapointment, it lands back on Earth. A big ace down the middle brings up three match points... and Draper wraps it up in style (after a double fault), a kick serve undoing Diallo, who shanks wide.
Break! *Draper 6-1 5-4 Diallo
15:45 , Oli Gent
Draper is talking to himself, bouncing up and down as Diallo prepares to open this big game. The Briton is off the best possible start as the Canadian nets a smash putaway, and a superb forehand line winner brings up 0-30 after some impressive patience from the home favourite. and he wins a sublime exchange at the net, met witha roar and a fist pump, to bring up three break points. He breaks, as Diallo sprays a forehand into the tramlines.
Draper 6-1 4-4 Diallo*
15:42 , Oli Gent
A huge ace for Draper as he looks to set the tone in this eighth game. A one-two punch has him up 30-0, and a long Diallo return makes it 40-0. A dominant love-hold, and we go on.
*Draper 6-1 3-4 Diallo
15:39 , Oli Gent
A few more audible grunts from Draper as the sun continues to beat down. Diallo rips an ace for 30-0, and the home favourite overdoes a return for 40-0. Draper drills a backhand return right back at the Canadian to get off the mark in this game, and he squeezes a fantastic forehand pass into the far corner to get back within one. However, his efforts go in vain, as Diallo holds.
Draper 6-1 3-3 Diallo*
15:35 , Oli Gent
Draper kicks back into gear, racing into a 30-0 lead, and Diallo blasts a forehand long for three game points. The Briton levels proceedings.
*Draper 6-1 2-3 Diallo
15:31 , Oli Gent
Diallo is into his rhythm now, up 30-0 in double-quick time. The Canadian sends down a kick serve ace for 40-0, and that’s a clean hold.
Break! Draper 6-1 2-2 Diallo*
15:29 , Oli Gent
Two big serves for Draper make it the perfect start to the game, but Diallo shows good hands and oace to outfox him at the baseline. He gets the luck with the backhand return as Draper goes for his first serve and volley, as the ball dribbles over the tape. 30-30. Draper falls out of a backhand, and now here comes a tricky test. Break point down, what can he muster? Answer... a double fault!
*Draper 6-1 2-1 Diallo
15:24 , Oli Gent
Better from Diallo, flicking a forehand down the line that Draper can only direct into the bottom of thenet, and he follows that with a bullet serve out wide for 30-0. A Draper return winner brings out a ripple of applause, and he’s firmly in double-break contention with another super dropshot. Diallo nets a tapped forehand approach, and he finds himself battling a break point once more. He does well to thwart the Briton, stepping inside the baseline to power down a forehand that Draper can only deflect long. Back to deuce, but not for long as another Draper dropshot catches Diallo flat-footed. Again he sees off the challenge, but the pressure is still on. Not for long, as he cracks down a fine ace down the T, but Draper punishes a slow second serve with the forehand return winner.
Back at deuce once again, but Draper just overdoes the chip return. Finally, Diallo holds, with an ace down the middle.
Draper 6-1 2-0 Diallo*
15:18 , Oli Gent
Superb baseline defence from Draper as Diallo dictates, but again, he is wayward with his smash, striking long for 15-0. The Canadian nets a forehand for 30-0 and is upset with himself for a basic miss, but he can’t get near Draper’s electric backhand winner down the line. Three game points, but he needs just the one, securing the love-hold with an accurate wide serve.
Break! *Draper 6-1 1-0 Diallo
15:14 , Oli Gent
Diallo nets an easy smash and then misses a backhand, and Draper is piling on the pressure at 15-30. The Briton has a brief lapse in concentration, with a superb forehand airshot to level proceedings. Diallo slams a forehand into the net, and we have an early break point here in the second... and a Draper dropshot delight does it!
Set! Draper 6-1 Diallo*
15:08 , Oli Gent
An overcooked forehand and an accurate T serve cancel each other out for 15-15, and Diallo can only palm the next serve into the net off the backhand side. Draper misses a backhand of his own as he looks to drive one through the court, and it’s 30-30. Both players play the dropshot game, but it is Draper who wins out, getting up to the Canadian’s attempt before forcing him to skew a tweener long. A final backhand long brings up the first set!
Break! *Draper 5-1 Diallo
15:04 , Oli Gent
Good net play from Diallo to open the game with a putaway on top as he moves forward. Draper responds by drilling a backhand winner into the corner, receiving a few ‘ooh’s from the crowd on its way through. Diallo nets a backhand for 15-30, and there’s a double-break opportunity here for the home favourite. He can’t control the backhand on the run, however, and we’re back level at 30-30. A delicate backhand dropshot brings up a break point, and the crowd are rightly applauding that. A beaautiful shot in timing and execution. He spurns the break point as he just nets the backhand return, however, and we’re back at deuce. He misfits a forehand but Diallo doesn’t punish him, instead getting punished himself with the backhand pass! Another break point... which this time he takes!
Draper 4-1 Diallo*
14:58 , Oli Gent
A backhand winner from Diallo is the perfect response to just losing his serve, but Draper is lucky as he mishits a forehand, but it drops in anyway. 15-15. The Briton booms one with far better connection to go ahead in the fifth game, and he brings up two game points with a one-two punch. He shanks a forehand long to spurn his first, but he takes the second with a whipped cross-court winner.
Break! *Draper 3-1 Diallo
14:54 , Oli Gent
Another thumping start from Diallo with a slicing ace down to Draper’s backhand wing. He underdoes a forehand after a rare baseline exchange in these early knockings. That’s much better as he lasers a T serve down like a bullet for 30-15, but again he falls out of a forehand and it’s a chance for Draper at 30-30. He nets a backhand, and a first break point for the Brit. The crowd like that. The Canadian responds superbly, however, arrowing down a serve through the middle which Draper can only knock wide. Thsi time, though, it’s Draper’s turn to produce a moment of magic with a zipping backhand pass as Diallo approaches. Second break point here... but he can’t convert, as Diallo sends another booming serve down!
A third deuce, which quickly becomes game point as Draper overdoes a backhand. Diallo miscues another forehand, and we’re back level once more. The Brit steps into his backhand return and earns himself another crack at a break... and this time he converts, luring Diallo in with the dropshot before a classy backhand pass.
Draper 2-1 Diallo*
14:45 , Oli Gent
A superb line winner off the forehand flank has Draper off the mark in the third game. He overcooks a pass attempt as he catches Diallo approaching the net for 15-15, but a nasty T serve edges his nose back in front. A lovely wide serve has Diallo scrambling, and the Briton produces his first dropshot winner of the match.
*Draper 1-1 Diallo
14:43 , Oli Gent
Two aces off the bat for Diallo sees the Canadian start his service well. He nets the serve-and-volley after a good Draper backhand return, but an ace wide to the forehand corner brings up two game points. The one-two punch wraps it up, and we’re level.
Draper 1-0 Diallo*
14:40 , Oli Gent
A confident start for the Briton with two accurate serves to bring up 30-0. Diallo blasts a forehand long for game point, and that’s a strong hold to open.
Here they come!
14:31 , Oli Gent
The players are out, and we’re about to get underway on Centre Court.
Draper reveals key learning from 'very special' Murray relationship
14:25 , Oli Gent
Draper has revealed the key things that Sir Andy Murray has brought to his game since the former Wimbledon champion took over as his coach.
British tennis past and present have joined forces ahead of Draper’s comeback tournament at Eastbourne this week, with Murray casting a watchful eye over the now world No160, who is making his first appearance on the tour since pulling out of the Barcelona Open back in April.
Draper reveals injury battle struggle as Wimbledon edges nearer
14:22 , Oli Gent
Draper admitted that he struggled “watching [my] decline” as he opened up on his year of injury hell.
The Briton, who has fallen to world No160 in the ATP rankings at the time of publication, is preparing to make yet another comeback to the tour after over 12 months of continued setbacks.
Draper reveals injury 'asylum' as Wimbledon comeback gathers pace
14:15 , Oli Gent
Jack Draper has been discharged from the “asylum”, and is back to winning ways on the tennis court once more, Oli Gent writes.
The Briton advanced into the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne Open on Wednesday with a straight-sets victory over compatriot and close friend Jack Pinnington Jones, emerging a 7-5 6-4 winner in the scorching Sussex sun.
What time does Wimbledon 2026 queue open?
14:07 , Oli Gent
Queuing for Wimbledon has become something of a tradition, giving visitors the chance to buy court tickets and grounds passes on the day.
This year, the queue for The Championships officially begins on Sunday at 2pm in Wimbledon Park, accessed via Gate 10.
Electric outage at Wimbledon qualifying!
14:00 , Oli Gent
Wimbledon qualifying was suspended for almost an hour-and-a-half on Wednesday due to a power outage at Roehampton.
The tournament's Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system failed as a result and it meant players faced lengthy disruption as they went off court to shelter away from the brutally hot conditions.
Draper injury latest
13:52 , Oli Gent
Draper told reporters ahead of the tournament that he felt “great” fitness-wise, and he took on Giron without the trademark arm sleeve we have grown accustomed to him sporting.
However, he chose to don the sleeve - often used to protect injuries - against Pinnington Jones, but he insisted that it was purely for sweat reasons in the scorching sun rather than any injury concern.
“I’ve always worn a sleeve for sweat because otherwise I sweat very heavily and the grip gets destroyed very quickly,” said Draper, who was playing only his second match in more than two months.
“It wasn’t to do with my arm injury. I had a bit of a stomach ache, stomach bug today, so I was struggling a little bit with that.”
Draper recent results
13:45 , Oli Gent
How has the British No3 done since his return?
He has played two matches, and won them both.
He defeated Marcos Giron in his opening round at Eastbourne - having initially been drawn to face fifth seed Brandon Nakashima - and he then came through fellow Brit Jack Pinnington Jones in straight sets to reach the last eight.
He has not dropped a set yet.
Before his latest injury setback, he was forced to hand Tomas Etcheverry a walkover in Barcelona during their first-round encounter.
How to watch
13:37 , Oli Gent
Live stream: You can stream this match live and for free on the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer, with a valid TV licence.
Hello and welcome!
13:30 , Oli Gent
... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Jack Draper’s quarter-final clash with Gabriel Diallo at the Eastbourne Open.
The former world No4 continues his preparation for Wimbledon after a lengthy injury hiatus on the Sussex coast, under the watchful eye of new coach Sir Andy Murray.
Stay tuned for all the updates, with this match scheduled to get underway at around 2.30pm BST.
