In temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, Draper had to have his blood pressure and pulse checked by medical officials during the match.
And moments after shaking hands with Marcos Giron following a hard fought 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory, he threw up.
A day after Andy Murray had limply bowed out in straight sets, it was a far better day from a British perspective, as Cameron Norrie defied his wrist injury to win in straight sets.
For Draper, it remains to be seen how well he recovers in time for a tough round-two match against No14 seed Tommy Paul after arguably the toughest win of his nascent career to date. But the 22-year-old was buoyed by having come through a difficult contest.
"Coming through my first five-set match in tough conditions gives me a world of satisfaction," he said.
This story is from the January 16, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the January 16, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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