Five points all in a second-set tie-break is a precarious position to be in if you’ve lost the first set.

If you’re receiving serve, the safer strategy is to block the return, play your way into the point and look for your opportunity – or hope for an error from your opponent. Or, if you’re Jack Draper you just step in and attack the second serve and take your chance.

Having revealed that he was perhaps too defensive in the past, Draper spoke yesterday about how his game had developed. And the proof is now there for all to see, as he took out the two-time former champion Matteo Berrettini in three tight sets to win is first ATP Tour title at the Boss Stuttgart Open, winning 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in just over two hours.

“[It’s an] amazing feeling, something I’ve been working for a long time,” said Draper.  “Third time lucky. I lost the other two in three sets. Means the world to me to win against such a player in such a place. It didn’t go so well on clay, a few close defeats against good players. I’ve had good training now, it was very professional. All the hard work has paid off now.”

And the turning point in this match may well have been that return in the tie-break with the scores level at five each and Draper just two points away from a straight sets defeat. Instead, the 22-year-old Brit trusted himself to take advantage of a tiny opening and snatched the set to level the contest, taking the first meeting between the two into a decider.

Along with the €111,785 winner’s cheque comes the all-important 250 ranking points, meaning he is now projected to rise to 32 in the men’s charts – and therefore gaining a crucial Wimbledon seeding. “That was my goal at the start of the year,” said Draper “I think I should have achieved that now. That’s so important in these big competitions because you don’t get an absolute top player at the start.”

Berrettini started the match aggressively and broke early to go 3-1 ahead in the first set with strong baseline play and regularly wrong-footing Draper. The Italian has won four grass court titles in his career and also reached the Wimbledon final in 2019. Everything was going to plan, or so it seemed, as he closed out set without facing a breakpoint, hitting seven aces and twelve winners in the process.

But then something changed right at the start of the second set. Berrettini was 40-30 up when serving at 0-1 and then followed arguably the rally of the match where both players pushed each other side to side showing off a full array of strokes and movement. But when Draper won the 19-shot rally, he started to believe:

“I played with a lot of courage today. Top players like Matteo don’t give you anything, especially with his service. There’s a reason why he has such a great career. I was sloppy in the first set and he punished me for that. I then changed that. Then I also believed in my game.”

Even though games went with serve thereon, Draper missed a set point when 5-4 up when he netted a return, but also managed to save a breakpoint in the next game. And it was in the tie-break where he excelled and displayed his inner confidence by winning the first point with a well-placed drop shot.

“I stayed positive throughout the match,” said Draper. “Not all the balls went in my favour and then I was lucky again. You can’t give a single ball away against players like that. I’m happy with the way I was mentally today. That was certainly one of the reasons why I won. I’ll remember this title for the rest of my life.”

The third set went with serve until Draper made his move in the all-important seventh game after a close line call at 30-30 and broke Berrettini’s serve for the first time in the match. Thereafter Draper remarkably served out two love games to win his first tour title on his third attempt, falling to his knees with a mixture of delight and relief.

In his post-match press conference Draper, who is playing the Queens grass court event in London this week, said he would be unable to watch England’s first game in the Euro 2024 competition as he would be flying home at the same time. 

“I think I’ll fly home tonight, go to the Queens Hotel and prepare for next week. My body feels great, I feel confident, I’ll get some rest, then get used to the courts and play on Tuesday. Take every day as it comes. I don’t think I’ll see much of today’s match. I think England will win 2-0, it won’t be the last match.”

Jannik Sinner has revealed he received advice from Roger Federer when he was 17 in Halle as the Italian returns to Germany to begin his grass court season.

The Italian will play his first tournament as world number one in Halle where he begins his grass court season.

However before speaking about the future, Sinner reflected on his previous appearances in Halle including once when he was 17 and competing in qualifying.

As he was preparing for the qualifying event, Sinner bumped into Severin Luthi and received a big opportunity to practice with the eight-time Wimbledon champion, “I remember Luthi stopping me on the stairs of the hotel and asking me if I could warm [Federer] up for his match,” Sinner recalled to the ATP website.

“I said, ‘Of course, yes.’ It was a very good feeling, a special feeling. I didn’t have the chance to play against Roger in an official match, and this is something that I will always miss, but I do remember the practice sessions with him.”

As he continued his recollection of practicing with Federer, the Italian spoke about some advice he received from the Swiss maestro, “I didn’t have many, so I do remember every single one, more or less. He gave me just kind of mental advice: Try to enjoy it and keep looking forward to working hard,” Sinner stated.

“That’s the only thing he told me, and it was very nice to share a court with him.”

At the event that year, Sinner would lose his opening round qualifying match to Joao Sousa but left Halle with something much more valuable which would help him to achieve his lifelong dream.

Now Sinner enters his weakest surface on paper although last year the Italian reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon.

Ahead of the grass court season Sinner detailed what makes the surface so difficult as he makes his third appearance in Halle, “It would be very special, because you don’t have so many grass-court tournaments throughout the year,” Sinner explained to the ATP website.

“It’s only here and Wimbledon where I am playing, so I have only two chances [this year]. But in general, it’s great to be back on grass. It’s different. The first day you have to go through the movements on the surface and it’s difficult, especially when you play the first rounds against players who played already on grass.

“They have a little bit of feeling, but this is a place where they believed in me, they gave me a wild card in qualies back in the day. So I’m happy to come back here and hopefully I can show some good tennis early on.”

Sinner’s grass court season will begin against Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, which the Italian has a 4-0 head-to-head record against but they have never met on grass.

The world number one admits it will be a difficult contest as he only won two matches in Halle before, “It will be very difficult. In general he plays well on grass,” Sinner explained.

“He does a lot of serve and volley. He volleys very, very well. It will be a very difficult match, but I’m looking forward to playing on grass. It will be a good test for me, for my first match on grass, to see where my level is. I will give everything, and I’m looking forward to the crowd here. The atmosphere is good and I will simply try to enjoy it.”

Novak Djokovic has started his rehab after having surgery on a meniscus injury he suffered at Roland Garros.

The Serb suffered the injury during his fourth round clash with Francisco Cerundolo where Djokovic came back from two sets to one down to claim victory.

However Djokovic played no further part at Roland Garros as he suffered a bad meniscus injury and had to withdraw from the tournament.

It resulted in Djokovic having to have surgery the following day in Paris as he gave up his world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner.

Now the road to recovery starts for Djokovic as he posted on Instagram the start of his rehabilitation programme.

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Usually the programme takes three weeks to six months to recover from but Djokovic’s injury wasn’t as bad as first reported.

It remains to be seen as to whether Djokovic will make his return at Wimbledon or whether he will wait until the Olympic Games to make his return.

Last year Djokovic reached the final at Wimbledon before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a five set epic.

However it would be no surprise to see Djokovic withdraw as the one thing the Serb is yet to achieve is to win Olympic Gold.

A fully healed Djokovic could be tough to stop in Paris as he looks to achieve a lifetime goal.

Wimbledon starts on the 1st of July while the Olympics starts on the 27th of July.