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Jack Draper arrived at the US Open simply hoping to stay fit, yet now he is chasing a place in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
The British number four, 21, has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a career-high ranking of 38 to outside the top 100. A shoulder injury saw him miss Wimbledon and threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n
Yet despite serving within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper is the only British player reach the last 16 after winning a tight four-set battle with American Michael Mmoh 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
And having reached the second week of a grand slam for the first time, Draper is now looking to go even further.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, when I am playing, I\u2019m not here just to be here and be happy to play. I\u2019m a competitor when I get into the matches. I want to win everything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cDefinitely at the start of the week, there was real concern about my body and with the year I\u2019ve had, whether I\u2019d be able to play one match.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it\u2019s the best-of-five sets, so it\u2019s completely different to what a three-set match even holds.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, we just wanted to stay fit this trip. That was kind of the goal, you know, to get consistent competition in, because that\u2019s just something I haven\u2019t had.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo come here this week and to play the way I have and to compete the way I have and for my body to hold up has been, it\u2019s been pretty special for me, really.\u201d<\/p>\n
Draper faces Andrey Rublev, the combustible Russian eighth seed, for a place in the last eight.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been top 10 for many years, having great results, consistently doing well in the slams and won his first 1000 event this year,\u201d added Draper.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who you play in the fourth round, I suppose they\u2019ve won three matches and they\u2019re playing good tennis and feeling good out here, so it will be really difficult either way.\u201d<\/p>\n