Jack Draper Throws Up Again at US Open But Bounces Back Like a Champion

Well, well, well. Jack Draper is back at the US Open, and guess what? He’s throwing up again. Because apparently, that’s just his thing now in New York. The British No. 1 couldn’t help but revisit his greatest hits from last year’s semi-final disaster against Jannik Sinner, where he puked four times before losing. This time around, Draper only managed one vomit session during his first-round match against Federico Agustin Gomez, which honestly feels like progress.

Draper’s Dramatic Return to Form

Let’s be real here – watching Draper play at the US Open is like watching someone try to eat a really spicy burrito while running a marathon. You know something messy is going to happen, but you can’t look away. The 23-year-old Brit entered this tournament with more question marks than a paranoid conspiracy theorist. He’d been off the ATP Tour for eight weeks nursing a “bone stress” injury in his left arm, which sounds about as fun as it seems.

But credit where credit’s due – the kid showed up wearing his fancy new compression sleeve and somehow managed to defeat Argentine Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2. Sure, it took him over three hours and included a vomiting intermission during the third set, but hey, a win’s a win, right?

The Vomit Chronicles Continue

Here’s the thing that gets me about Draper’s relationship with the US Open: it’s like he’s physically allergic to New York success. Last year, we watched him puke his way through a semi-final against Sinner, with everyone blaming it on anxiety, stress, or his pain medication giving him a dodgy stomach. This year, on another scorching hot afternoon in the Big Apple, the nausea returned right on schedule.

The poor guy threw up during game eight of the third set, and instead of calling for a cleanup crew like any normal person would, he actually tried to clean up the mess himself. There’s something both admirable and deeply concerning about that level of dedication to court maintenance.

Heat, Sweat, and Tennis Dramatics

Playing tennis in New York during late August is basically like competing inside a giant hairdryer, and Draper’s new sleeveless top from his sponsors was absolutely drenched by the end of the match. The guy was sweating buckets, which makes you wonder if the vomiting was heat-related this time or just his body’s natural response to being at the US Open.

Gomez, the 28-year-old Argentine making his US Open debut, wasn’t about to make things easy for the struggling Brit. The world No. 203 managed to hit 50 winners across four sets and took advantage of Draper’s third-set sickness to win that set in a tie-break. For a brief moment, it looked like we might have another Draper meltdown on our hands.

Mental Toughness Meets Physical Weakness

What’s fascinating about Draper is how he manages to be mentally tough and physically fragile at the same time. After losing that third set, many players might have folded completely, especially after literally throwing up on court. But Draper? He came back and dominated the fourth set 6-2, showing the kind of resilience that makes you think he might actually have what it takes to go deep in these tournaments – if his stomach would just cooperate.

“I wasn’t too sure if I was going to make it here this year,” Draper admitted after the match, which is the kind of honest vulnerability you don’t often hear from professional athletes. He’s not trying to play the tough guy or pretend everything’s fine. He’s basically saying, “Yeah, I was a mess, but here I am anyway.”

The Road Ahead for Britain’s Best Hope

The reality is that Draper represents Britain’s best shot at Grand Slam success in men’s tennis right now, which is both exciting and terrifying. On one hand, he’s got the talent and the game to compete with anyone when he’s healthy. On the other hand, he’s got a track record of falling apart at the worst possible moments – literally and figuratively.

His arm injury kept him away from competition for two months, and while he made it through this first round, you have to wonder how his body will hold up as the tournament progresses. The compression sleeve on his left arm isn’t exactly inspiring confidence, and neither is his history of US Open-induced nausea.

Looking Forward Despite the Setbacks

Despite all the drama and bodily functions, there’s something genuinely inspiring about Draper’s determination. He could have easily skipped the US Open, claiming his arm wasn’t ready or that he needed more time to recover. Instead, he showed up, threw up, and still found a way to win. That’s the kind of stubborn perseverance that champions are made of – even if it comes with a side of vomit.

The question now is whether Draper can build on this messy victory and actually make a run at this tournament. He’s got the talent, but tennis isn’t just about hitting balls – it’s about managing pressure, staying healthy, and keeping your lunch down when it matters most.