Jack Draper loses titanic Monte-Carlo Masters round of 16 clash to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina as Spaniard admits to 'rollercoaster with my mind'

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Jack Draper recovered from a set and break down against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte-Carlo Masters to level the match, but in the end fell just short. Spaniard Davidovich Fokina admitted after booking his place in the quarter-finals that the match was an emotional "rollercoaster" as he prevailed after nearly three hours of intense tennis in the Monaco sunshine.

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Jack Draper showed his resilience but went down to a titanic defeat to Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

In a match lasting nearly three hours, Britain's Draper recovered from being a set and break of serve behind to level the match, but in the end fell just short.

Davidovich Fokina sealed a 6-3 6-7(6) 6-4 win on Thursday, in a match he described afterwards as being a "rollercoaster".

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Draper's serve didn't fire at all in the Monaco sunshine, with only 48% of his first serves landing, while 10 double faults also didn't help his cause.

Davidovich Fokina, a runner-up in Monte Carlo three years ago, was clearly emotional after the match as he revealed his discomfort during the two hour, 46 minute encounter.

"Today I didn't feel my best tennis and not my best mental strategy," he said.

"Today was a rollercoaster with my mind. I thought I was playing better but my mind was saying to me a lot of b******t.

"I don't know how to control my emotions today, it was very emotional today to play here. I'm so sorry how I did it today but I'm happy for the win and I'm going to try and improve for tomorrow.

"Jack can [beat] me today because he was playing better than me. I knew how to manage to stay on my serve for the third set.

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"I tried what I have with my whole body in the last game and I'm happy with how I did it in the last game."

Draper's inexperience on clay is likely to have been a factor too, although this gruelling defeat may well prove to be an invaluable experience in the long run.

At times, it was obvious how frustrated he was, with him clearly shouting "wake up" to himself a number of times as the first set came to its conclusion.

The Briton, who claimed his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells last month, had strolled past American Marcos Giron 6-1 6-1 in the previous round, but was unable to squeeze his way through as he now looks ahead to - most likely - the Madrid Open.

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