British No 1 Jack Draper found himself in hot water at the Italian Open after smashing his racket in frustration despite holding a commanding lead over qualifier Vit Kopriva.
The world No 5 received a code violation after hurling his racket to the ground multiple times when he failed to convert break points.
The outburst, which drew some boos from the crowd, came whilst Draper was already a set and a break ahead in what would eventually be a straight-sets victory.
Draper went on to secure a 6-4, 6-3 win over the Czech clay-court specialist, marking his 100th tour-level victory.
Sky Sports/Reuters
|Jack Draper admitted he woke up angry ahead of his tennis match today
The British star needed an hour and 41 minutes to dispatch Kopriva, the world No 92, who had come through qualifying to reach this stage.
Despite the comfortable scoreline, Draper appeared frustrated throughout the contest, particularly with his forehand which contributed to 24 unforced errors.
The victory sets up a last-16 clash with Corentin Moutet as Draper continues to shore up his position in the world's top five.
After the match, Draper was remarkably candid about his emotional state, admitting that his temper had "boiled out a little too much" during the contest.
"When I get out of bed I feel so angry some days. And, you know, I've got to play a tennis match and I've got to lose points, so I've got to go through those emotional ups and downs," he told Sky Sports' Gigi Salmon.
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The 23-year-old acknowledged the mental challenges of his rapid rise up the rankings.
"I'm in a new position now. My ranking's obviously going up, and I'm getting to compete week in, week out."
"I want to keep going, but yeah, it's sometimes difficult to always be perfect," Draper added, reflecting on the pressures of his new status.
Reuters
|Jack Draper put his frustrations behind him to beat Vit Kopriva in straight sets
The Briton's frustration stemmed partly from a wasteful day on break points, converting only three of 13 opportunities.
This inefficiency allowed Kopriva to extend the match longer than Draper would have liked.
"I was a bit flat today," Draper admitted. "It's tough. I'm human. I've been mentally and physically on for the last three weeks."
The demanding schedule of Masters events has clearly taken its toll on the rising British star.
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Looking ahead to his last-16 clash with Moutet, Draper spoke warmly of his fellow left-hander.
"I kind of looked up to him when I was younger, because I think he won Tarbes," he revealed, referencing one of junior tennis's most prestigious tournaments.
Draper acknowledged Moutet's fiery temperament with a hint of admiration.
"I think he's always been quite flarey. I think he brings a lot to tennis, to be honest. Every time I watch him, it's an interesting match. So I look forward to that battle."