British tennis' rising star Jack Draper, 21, is left in pain with a painful-looking stomach injury after running off court to throw UP immediately after his first-ever five-set win in the 30C Australian Open heat

Australia

Jack Draper had never played a match like his Australian Open round, nor did he feel the same mix of guilt and elation when it came to the handshake.

As he approached the net, he half-apologized to the vanquished Marcos Giron and then promptly ran off to throw up in a trash can at the court.

“I felt a bit bad because obviously I'd just beaten the guy, and I said, 'I've got to shake your hand, mate, but I've got to get to that bin,'” Draper said after a tough 6-4 3-6 6 – 4 6-0 6-2 victory that had pushed him to his limits in sweltering temperatures.

Now he faces American Tommy Paul, a semi-finalist here twelve months ago, and number fourteen seed.

He is the same player who comfortably defeated the 21-year-old from Surrey last week on his way to the final of the Adelaide International, and Paul's task is unlikely to be any easier after what felt like a watershed performance from the rising star of British men's tennis. .

Jack Draper put in a huge physical effort to beat Marcos Giron 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-0 6-2. The Brit then lay ill in a box on the right side, after the physical exertion took its toll

Draper looked clearly uncomfortable as the match ended and had to sit down to recover

This is Draper's seventh Grand Slam event, but never before had he played the full five sets with anyone. Once Giron had taken a 2-1 lead it would be a requirement to win, and Leatherhead's powerful southpaw was as good as equal to that.

With temperatures reaching the early 30s, it was the first serious testing day of the fortnight, and when Draper had to have his blood pressure checked after set two, you feared the worst.

However, he later attributed the post-match vomiting more to the mental dimension of competing in one of the world's biggest tournaments, and the extra desire to succeed.

He will have to learn from it quickly if he wants to take down Paul, who has been one of the most consistent performers at Grand Slams over the past 12 months.

'I don't normally get sick, ever. I think it's strange,” said the British number four. “It didn't take that long for a five-set match. I played three hours 40 last week in warmer conditions, and physically I was absolutely fine.

'I think today it was more psychological stress that caused my fatigue than the physical nature, because I felt better in the fifth set than in the first.

'You do have that fear when you play, of course a lot happens. It's hot. There is actually no way out of court. You really have to suffer to win the points.

“Every player feels it, and every player has different ways that they struggle with it, whether it's someone who's really tight on their forehand, or it might be that their movement is starting to go a little bit.

Draper appeared to be clutching the right side of his abdomen, which had previously bothered him

Draper was attended to by medics on the track as he was ill after his marathon race ended

Draper had to call in the physio after the second set and have his blood pressure measured

'For me it feels like my breathing is really starting to get difficult and I can't get the oxygen into me. I'm still a young player, so getting used to the environment around these Slams and the excitement is difficult.

“I'm obviously nowhere near where I want to be, but it's coming. Sure, I would have been cramped in these games last year, maybe even four months ago. I think it will help a lot if I get through this match.”

Draper could have served better, and was helped by Giron losing his head in the fourth: 'Every twenty minutes he gets a break for cramps!' he shouted, even though that wasn't really the case.

Indeed, the British player suffered cramps on the pitch after the match, caused by his physical reaction: 'When I vomited, I tightened my abdominal muscle, it seemed as if it was as hard as a stone, very painful.'

Paul has lost both times he has played the younger man, so he won't be looking forward to taking on the big lefthander, especially if he can make his serve more consistent than happened against Giron.

Cam Norrie loves nothing more than grueling conditions and he will play Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri in the second round after comfortably beating Peruvian Juan Pablo Virallas 6-2 6-4 6-4.

The British number one does not appear to be bothered by the sore wrist that forced him to leave Auckland last week. Although he lost in his only previous meeting with the 23-year-old Roman, he should be confident he can make it to a third round at a Major.

What could have caused Jack Draper's stomach injury that left him vomiting after his Australian Open victory?

Rising British tennis star Jack Draper suffered a painful-looking stomach injury during his first-round victory at the Australian Open today.

The 21-year-old left-hander ran off the field to throw up immediately after beating American Marcos Giron in a battle that lasted 3 hours and 20 minutes in 30-degree temperatures in Melbourne.

He clearly played the last four games in discomfort.

As he gingerly stood back up after falling ill, Draper appeared to be holding the right side of his abdomen, which had previously bothered him.

In March, Draper was forced to retire in the second set of his fourth-round match with Carlos Alcaraz at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells due to an abdominal injury he suffered against Andy Murray in the previous round.

The abdominal injury forced him to miss most of the clay season.

Abdominal injuries such as strains are common in tennis players of all levels, due to the movements made while serving.

Bending back before serving forces the abdominal muscles to extend and then contract when the ball is struck, according to the International Tennis Federation.

Leaning even further back for a kick serve or topspin serve, as well as hitting with the forehand from an open stance, are also considered high-risk movements for abdominal injuries, which can cause a sudden stabbing pain when engaging the muscle, as well as nausea and vomiting. in severe cases.

In addition to the abdominal injury, Draper had to call the physio after the second set and have his blood pressure checked, before making a double fault in the third set after the restart.