"I don't want to think about Carlos Alcaraz" - Jack Draper sends strongly-worded message to Spaniard ahead of Australian Open encounter

Jack Draper laid bare his feelings on facing Carlos Alcaraz next in the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open. Draper set up the mouthwatering clash against the Spaniard with his third successive five-set win at the Melbourne Major on Friday.

Draper's third-round match with home hope Aleksandar Vukic seemed to be going the latter's way after the Australian established a two-sets-to-one advantage. However, the Brit didn't give in, and ultimately won the contest 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6 (8).

During his post-match, on-court interview, Jack Draper told Jim Courier that for the time being, his focus is on recovering from yet another nerve-racking five-set marathon.

"I don't know, I'm just thinking about my recovery and getting off the court. I don't want to think about him yet," Draper said. (at 1:00)

The World No. 18 went on to laud former No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is in red-hot form in Melbourne as he chases his maiden Australian Open title. Draper also assessed his upcoming fourth-round match against the Spaniard.

"Carlos is a special talent and an unbelievable player, someone I have a good friendship with, so I think it's going to be an incredible match and hopefully my body pulls up and I can give it my all and yeah, it'll be a great contest," Draper added.

Interestingly, Draper was supposed to train with Alcaraz ahead of the start of the 2025 tennis season, but ultimately decided against it due to a hip injury.

"I had to make that call" - Jack Draper on cancelling pre-season training with Carlos Alcaraz

Jack Draper (Source: Getty)

A hip problem led to Jack Draper cancelling his pre-season training plan with Carlos Alcaraz. The Brit later opened up on his decision to back out from the plan in an interview during his appearance at the Memory Walk for the Alzheimer's Society.

"I have a niggle in my hip area and in terms of going to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos, I had to make that call because it's not fair on him if I go and I'm not 100 percent," Draper said.

Draper and Alcaraz have so far faced each other on three occasions on the ATP Tour. While the Spaniard came out on top in the first two meetings, it was the Brit who won their latest clash, a Round-of-16 affair at the 2024 Cinch Championships at London's Queen's Club.