Japan Open: Jack Draper beats Mattia Bellucci to reach last 16

Britain’s Jack Draper has reached the last 16 of the Japan Open after beating Mattia Bellucci in three sets.

World number 20 Draper defeated the Italian 6-4 6-2, his first victory since losing to Jannik Sinner in the US Open semi-finals earlier this month.

The victory means the 22-year-old is back in form after a disappointing Davis Cup tie in Manchester, where he lost both of his singles matches.

Draper lost in three sets to Argentine Francisco Cerundolo and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, meaning Great Britain failed to reach the knockout stages.

After winning the first set against world number 103 Belluci in Tokyo, Draper ran out to a 5-1 lead in the second set before eventually claiming victory.

Draper will play Polish second-seeded Hubert Hurkacz on Friday.

Elsewhere, fourth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas lost 4-6 6-1 6-2 to American Alex Michelsen.

Fifth-seeded American Tommy Paul defeated Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 6-2, while Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) in a match that lasted three hours and 12 minutes.