British No 1 Draper Eliminated by Bublik Ending UK French Open Run

Jack Draper, the British No. 1 and fifth seed at the 2025 French Open, was eliminated in the fourth round by Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik in a four-set match (5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4). Draper started strong by taking the first set, but Bublik's unpredictable and skillful play, highlighted by an array of drop shots and powerful serving, overwhelmed Draper in the subsequent sets. Bublik, ranked No. 62, reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time, becoming the first Kazakh man to do so, and will face either Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev next. Draper, who had high expectations after recent successes including a Madrid Open final and US Open semi-finals, struggled to regain momentum and confidence in his forehand and serve against Bublik's varied shot-making. Bublik expressed deep satisfaction with his victory, calling it the best moment of his life, while Draper's defeat marked the end of Britain's singles hopes at Roland Garros after Cameron Norrie's earlier exit. The match was noted for Bublik's mental composure and Draper's visible frustration as the Kazakh capitalized on his chance to advance.