Jack Draper vs Corentin Moutet LIVE: Italian Open latest score and updates

He’s going to have to play well to deny Corentin Moutet in this sort of form. A picture-perfect rainbow provides more gold, the lob landing just inside the baseline with Draper beaten and the set level again.

Jack Draper is going to try and blast his way out of this hole like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Brit catches the baseline by a millimetre and then clipping the chalk again with an overhead at 40-0.

“Jack! Jack, come on!” Draper screams at himself, trying to get the top-five player he now is to stir after his latest unforced error. A neat drop shot seals a hold to love for Corentin Moutet.

More like it from Draper, holding comfortably to start the second set.

Over on centre court, Carlos Alcaraz was a little slow out of the blocks but has come through to take the first set against Karen Khachanov. The winner of that match will face Draper or Moutet in the quarter-finals.

Now, can Jack Draper get going? The errors have again come too regularly for the British No 1, who might have to tweak his game to counter Moutet’s style.

Better from Draper, authoritative in coming forward to batter a backhand past a slightly careless Corentin Moutet, drifting towards mid-court after he serves. Whew! That’s a doozy, too, a forceful forehand flashed past the Frenchman to get to deuce.

But they prove just temporary interruptions on Moutet’s charge to a most impressive first set! 38 marvellous minutes and it’s secured in style with an ace up the centre.

Jack Draper just cannot get going, the feet sluggish, the strokes sloppy. Corentin Moutet is keeping him off guard with some elegant variation – and breaks again! He’ll serve for the set.

Gorgeous! Corentin Moutet looks to have got himself in a predicament at the net as his first scoop volley drifts right into Jack Draper’s hitting arc, but a fierce forehand from the Brit is drizzled most delectably over the net with the precision and poise of a Michelin-starred chef. The Frenchman is feeling it.

What a passing shot! Bashed back far beyond the baseline, Corentin Moutet finds a winner virtually from the Vatican, curling it across Rome and past a lunging Draper. Superb.

Now, can he capitalise on the break point? Nope, a wayward drop shot and a passing shot that is much too low. But the 26-year-old earns another chance with a point of good construct. And this time it’s seized! Draper’s serve is breached.

The ferocity of Jack Draper’s forehand bails him out of a bit of bother, the power forcing an error from Corentin Moutet with a gaping crosscourt gap seemingly set to be exploited by the Frenchman’s backhand. A gorgeous return down the line as Draper opens up his body and another thumping forehand winner set up two break points.

Both saved! Draper comes very close to clipping the white paint with a backhand cross but can’t quite find it. Moutet scrambles to a hold thereafter, though his opponent is starting to find his range.