Ugo Humbert beat Jack Draper 7-5, 6-3 in the Eastbourne Open semi-finals on his 28th birthday and moved into Saturday’s final, where he will face Zizou Bergs. The sixth seed said the result was the best gift he could have had on the day, and he added that he would recover overnight and be ready for the final without a big celebration.
The win decided one side of the men’s final on day five at the Eastbourne Open, and it also answered the question that had been building around the draw: who would come through the half that included a returning Draper. Bergs had already booked his place earlier in the day by beating Toby Samuel 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, leaving Humbert and the Belgian to meet for the title.
Humbert’s own view of the match underlined why the result mattered. He said it was good to see Draper back on court and called him really impressive, while admitting he had been a bit lucky in the second set. He also said he dislikes playing a fellow left-hander, describing the matchup as a difficult one because lefties have an advantage. Even so, he was the cleaner player at the key moments and closed it out in straight sets.
That is what gives the score its weight. Draper was back in action after a challenging spell with a series of injury issues, and he looked sharp enough to make the contest competitive, but the return still ended with a straight-sets defeat. Humbert, meanwhile, arrived at the final with birthday momentum and a chance to turn a strong week into a title.
The women’s draw also settled after both semi-final opponents retired, sending Tatjana Maria against Madison Keys in the final. coverage said live coverage of both finals would be available from 12:00 BST the next day, giving the tournament a double-header finish. For Humbert, the next step is simpler than the one he just took: beat Bergs and leave Eastbourne with the trophy, not just a birthday win.
