British number one Jack Draper fought back from the brink to secure a hard-fought victory over Argentine clay specialist Mariano Navone in the first round of the Australian Open.
Draper, seeded 15th, battled for four hours and one minute to win 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in his first competitive match since October.
The 23-year-old left-hander, returning from a hip injury, showed signs of rust with five service breaks and 88 unforced errors.
Despite his struggles, Draper displayed resilience, using the final set to take control as Navone faltered due to injury.
Draper’s disrupted preparation, including no warm-up events, was evident as he lacked sharpness early on. However, his determination and ability to grind through tough moments proved crucial.
The Briton now moves on to face either Thanasi Kokkinakis or Roman Safiullin in the second round.
