Jack Draper and Martin Landaluce seem many years apart, but not only in age but also in tennis years, too. The truth is that the Brit is only four years older than the Spaniard. The difference is that Draper's body breaks down as much as someone who has played professional tennis for 15 years.
But there he was back on the hard courts of the Cincinnati Open after struggling through a rough 2026, as he has suffered one injury after another. He has immense ability and a huge forehand, but he needs to play to be great. He simply hasn't been able to.
Rust is a problem for the Brit, one who is coached by all-time great Andy Murray and with the ability to come close to what Murray was capable of, at least in majors. To help him prepare for the upcoming US Open, Draper needed a nice run at the Cincinnati Masters. Young Landaluce was in no mood to offer much assistance.
Jack Draper bounced out of the Cincinnati Open by Martin Landaluce
The Spaniard, ranked No. 64, got a break of Draper, currently ranked No. 143 but was No. 4 just over a year ago, in the opening game of the match. All Landaluce needed to do was keep holding serve to move into the second round. In set one, Draper wasn't offering much resistance, either. Rust is real, you see.
Landaluce didn't have to keep holding to take the set, however. He got another break of Draper at 5-3, and swept into the second set with his eyes on an easy victory, while the Brit might be forced to get to New York with little recent work.
The second set appeared headed toward a completely different narrative. Landaluce appeared to tire as his serve was 7 mph slower than in set one. Meanwhile, early in the set, Draper was fresher, hitting with more precision and power. He jumped to a 5-2 lead and up a double break.
Trying to serve out the set, however, he failed to do so. Landaluce then held, and then got his second break in a row of Draper. Suddenly, the set was 5-all, and the young Spaniard had all the momentum. He wasn't playing perfectly, but it was Draper's turn to dip in form, and the set was changing because of that.
Unfortunately for the Brit, due to poor serving (he had 12 double faults) and getting tired too early, those five wins in set two would be the only ones he got. Landaluce won the final five games to take the second set 7-5.
Next for Martin Landaluce in the second round of the Cincinnati Open will be Matteo Arnaldi. Should the Spaniard get past that match, he could face Novak Djokovic in the third round.
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