Jack Draper crashes out to unplayable Reilly Opelka at the Miami Open

The pair exchanged service games without a single break point in the entire contest, and in the end it came down to the almost inevitable two tie-breaks.

If there is any moment that Draper may choose to dwell on for improvement, it would be in those decisive moments, but even then chances were scarce.

“I think I could have done a few things better, but it was pretty tough,” he said.

“I didn’t have many chances, especially on his serve. I didn’t get broken in the match. That was kind of my job, right?”

The two sets were almost carbon copies of each other, with both players holding serve until Opelka pounced in the tie-break. In the second, he carved out a 6-0 lead and then sealed the victory with what else but an ace.

Draper said before the tournament that his body was still adjusting to the demands of what he wanted to do, as he continues his return to fitness from an arm injury, but the contest against Opelka was not a physical one.

At Indian Wells, Draper strung together an impressive run to the quarter-finals, including a win over Novak Djokovic that he only had the time to reflect on the plane to Miami. After the loss to Opelka, he may dwell on it before wheels up.