British tennis star Jack Draper has stormed into the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open with a commanding straight-sets victory over American Tommy Paul.
The British No 1 and fifth seed dismantled his 11th-seeded opponent 6-2 6-2 in a mere 68 minutes of clinical tennis on the Spanish clay.
Draper will now face Italy's Matteo Arnaldi in the last eight, with significant ranking implications at stake.
Draper seized control early in the match, breaking Paul to go 2-1 up in the first set.
Jack Draper has breezed into the next round of the Madrid Open
Reuters
He then reeled off three straight games from 3-2 to take command of the proceedings.
The 23-year-old's dominance was evident throughout, as he struck 20 winners while conceding just four games to his American opponent.
Even in the blustery conditions of Madrid, Draper looked completely at home on the clay court.
Victory in the quarter-final would mark a significant milestone for Draper, propelling him into the world's top five for the first time in his career.
A win against Arnaldi would see the Briton overtake Serbian legend Novak Djokovic in the rankings.
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This impressive run comes after Draper claimed his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March, demonstrating his rapid rise in the tennis hierarchy.
"At this level I think it's a lot about momentum and confidence," Draper said after his victory.
Following his impressive victory, Draper responded with characteristic British humour when Sky Sports pundit Annabel Croft compared his explosive forehand to Rafael Nadal's.
"I mean I haven't won 14 Roland Garros' just yet!" he laughed.
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Tommy Paul was beaten with ease by Jack Draper
Reuters
"Rafa is obviously someone, being a lefty, that I looked up to when I was younger. I don't sort of compare myself to him, but I'd like to think that I want to have qualities like Rafa."
Draper is determined to prove that British players can excel on clay surfaces, traditionally considered challenging for UK competitors.
"I think probably for the players who are from the UK or who don't play on the surface often, they go into it with the mindset that they're not going to be that great on it," he explained.
"This year, it's been a big goal of mine to prove that I can play really well and I know that, if I want to be a top player, I have to."
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Draper now finds himself as the highest-ranked player remaining in the Madrid Open draw.
This follows several withdrawals and shock early exits from top-seeded players, including world number one Alexander Zverev's defeat to Francisco Cerundolo.
The Madrid tournament represents Draper's fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final in just his seventh event at this level.
With his current form, the British star has established himself as a serious contender for the title on Spanish soil.
