Jack Draper was loudly jeered by home fans at the Australian Open as he walked onto the court for his second-round match against Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Britain’s top-ranked player was up against the crowd from the very start, with the vast majority of fans backing his Aussie opponent.
Kokkinakis was greeted by cheers when he entered the court but the same could not be said for Draper, who sparked a chorus of boos upon walking out.
He responded by flashing a stony facial expression and turning his head to the side, seemingly disappointed with the reception he was getting.
Eurosport commentator Mikey Perera said: “Here we go then, a few boos for Jack Draper. I don’t think he’ll mind that. He’s the sort of character that will say: ‘Okay then, bring it on’.”
Before facing Kokkinakis, Draper admitted that he was expecting a hostile crowd but expressed hope that it would motivate him to play at his best.
“That’s definitely going to bring the best out of me,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a really good atmosphere, whether the crowd’s with me or against me.
“I remember what it was like playing Futures with no one watching. That’s what I play for, to play in front of a lot of people and entertain.
“I know Thanasi is going to give it his all here in Melbourne. He always brings out great tennis so it’s going to be a really tough match.
“We always have a battle so I’m fully prepared and ready for that. I’m going to have to improve my performance and I think that’s a great chance to do it.”
Kokkinakis, meanwhile, said that he was expecting a tough contest after losing two of his previous three matches against Draper.
“He’s obviously a great player who had a very good year last year,” explained the 28-year-old. We’ve had three matches and he’s won two. I’ve won one, all extremely tight matches.
“The first one I lost in the Davis Cup, serving for the match, the next one I got him and the last one was 7-5 in the third. It’s going to be a battle, for sure. Hopefully the body pulls up all right and I can give it my best.”
