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Clay has not previously been Draper's favourite surface but, after receiving a first-round bye, his performance against American Marcos Giron in round two showed promise.
The British number one was not at his best in the opening set against Davidovich Fokina, berating himself with cries of "wake up" and "come on" in an attempt to increase his energy.
That form dragged into the second set, with Draper hitting three double faults on his way to being broken in the opening game.
Trailing by a set and a break, Draper's fortunes changed when he hit an ace to hold serve after saving two break points, raising his arms in relief before playing a fine return game to break back for 3-3.
He saved a match point on the way to forcing a tie-break and ensured a deciding set with a stunning cross-court forehand winner.
The pair traded breaks in a third set of shifting momentum, but Draper struggled to take his chances, converting just two of nine break points while 42nd-ranked Davidovich Fokina converted all three of his opportunities.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-1 victory over 84th-ranked Daniel Altmaier and will meet France's Arthur Fils in the last eight.
Meanwhile, British doubles pair Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury lost their last-16 match 6-3 6-3 to compatriot Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara.
BJK Cup withdrawals 'a tennis, not a player, problem'
Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong says the lack of top-20 players at the Billie Jean King Cup is "a tennis problem, not a player problem".
Only three of the world's top-20 will compete in this week's qualifying rounds, with Poland's Iga Swiatek and American trio Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys among those absent.
World number two Swiatek withdrew last week, saying she needed time to "focus on myself and my training".
Britain, meanwhile, are without Emma Raducanu, who has opted to train and "look after her body" after her Miami Open quarter-final run in her seventh event of the year.
The top teams in each round-robin group will advance to September's eight-team finals in Shenzhen, China.
"It's tough for every nation to put out their best players in each tie, Keothavong told BBC Sport in The Hague, where Britain are in a group with Germany and the Netherlands.
"The calendar is just makes it so difficult for players, so I'm empathetic as to how they are.
"The tennis circuit is brutal - you go from one week to the next and there's not much time to rest and recover.
"You have got to try and pick and choose your moments, but it's not a player problem - it's a tennis problem.
"One of these days maybe everyone can figure out a solution and work together."
'Glasgow must hit new heights to halt Leinster juggernaut'
Leinster are favourites to go on and lift the trophy, a status underlined by a crushing 10-try victory over Harlequins in the last round.
Glasgow can be backed are odds of about 10-1 to spring an upset in Dublin, but Leinster and All Blacks superstar back Jordie Barrett has full respect for the URC champions.
"If we don't get our jobs right this weekend, well, then there's no more European rugby for us, it's as simple as that," Barrett told RTE.
"Glasgow are a good side. They play a lot of rugby, a very attacking side. They're tough as well, as they showed in the weekend against Leicester.
"So it's going to be a challenge. They're a very strong one-to-eight and they play with a lot of ball and kick the least in the URC.
"They're a confident side, they do back their ability. But, look, we're right up for the challenge.
"We respect them as an outfit. But we feel like we're heading in the right direction here too."
After losing the past three consecutive finals, and four of the past six, there is pressure on Leinster to finally get their hands on the Champions Cup again.
They have made six changes to the side that demolished Quins, with Ireland internationals Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter and Caelan Doris all starting from the bench.
That's three pretty much nailed-on British and Irish Lions for this summer's Australia tour, including a potential captain in Doris, left on the sidelines for the start of the game.
Are Leinster taking Glasgow just a little lightly? Or are they simply so strong they have got the capacity to mix and match on a week-to-week basis?
Probably the latter, when you consider the team is still boasts multiple Six Nations winners, Lions, a double World Cup winner in RG Snyman and is dripping with class from top to toe.
Not many are expecting Glasgow to knock Leinster off course in their quest to become kings of Europe for the first time since 2018.
If they do, the reverberations will be felt across the rugby world.
Powell replaces injured Wales fly-half George in France
France: Morgane Bourgeois; Kelly Arbey, Marine Menager (co-capt), Montserrat Amedee, Emilie Boulard; Carla Arbez, Pauline Bourdon-Sansus; Yllana Brosseau, Manon Bigot, Rose Bernadou, Manae Feleu (co-capt), Madouddou Fall-Raclot, Charlotte Escudero, Seraphine Okemba, Teani Feleu.
Replacements: Elisa Riffonneau, Ambre Mwayembe, Assia Khalfaoui, Kiara Zago, Axelle Berthoumieu, Lea Champon, Oceane Bordes, Lina Queyroi.
Wales: Jasmine Joyce; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Courtney Keight, Carys Cox; Kayleigh Powell, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Georgia Evans.
Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Natalia John, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King, Sian Jones, Nel Metcalfe.
Referee: Holly Wood (RFU)
Assistant referees: Sara Cox (RFU) & Maria Heitor (FPR)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
FPRO: Rachel Horton (RA)
The WRU is still deciding on a title for what has so far been touted as a director of rugby role given the breadth of the job's remit.
Former Football Association, England Rugby and Team GB performance expert Dave Reddin is the leading contender, with Tierney suggesting an appointment is expected "very, very soon" having had a "busy couple of days" sorting the Cardiff issue.
Tierney said the successful candidate would then be involved in appointing a new head coach, but that the WRU has already drawn up a shortlist to succeed Warren Gatland on a permanent basis.
Gatland's mid-2025 Six Nations exit led to Cardiff's Matt Sherratt taking charge of Wales on an interim basis.
"We've done a lot of work on this, looking at who is out there, analysing playing style, who works well with younger teams and who also understands the Welsh system," Tierney said.
"We have a target list of who we want to go at. Of course they all want to know who will be their line manager.
"I've already spoken to the potential new director of rugby about these things and we'd like to appoint a new head coach shortly after that.
"But depending on their contract and notice period, which is often six months, we might need to have an alternative [coaching] plan for Japan, which we are working on."
It is "tough but possible" for Premiership sides to compete both domestically and in Europe, says Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson.
Dowson's side have endured a difficult defence of their Premiership title but are the only English club remaining in this year's Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals after Harlequins, Saracens, Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks were knocked out in the last 16.
Saints, who are seeking to become the Premiership's first Champions Cup winners since Exeter in 2020, can reach a second consecutive semi-final in Europe's premier club competition if they overcome Castres at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.
The Premiership salary cap increased to 6.4m this season but it is still considerably lower than the 9m cap for Top 14 clubs in France, and after last weekend's dire showing by English clubs in general, former England and Lions wing Ugo Monye suggested they found it "hard to compete" as a result.
But Dowson, who guided his side to the Premiership title and a first Champions Cup semi-final since 2011 last season, told BBC Radio Northampton: "It is hard [to compete] but it's supposed to be hard.
"Some of the other sides and leagues have more ability to withstand injuries and rest players but it's still possible for Premiership teams.
"The Top 14 has a longer schedule and they may have bigger squads but they still have to ensure they are winning every week to compete on two fronts, likewise in the United Rugby Championship.
"It is possible but it's tough. We haven't managed to do it very well this year but last year we had a decent run in the tournament and it's a very tough thing to do."
England: Kildunne; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Atkin-Davies, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Kabeya, Matthews.
Replacements: Cokayne, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Feaunati, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.
Ireland: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Higgins, Costigan (capt); O'Brien, Lane; O'Dowd, Jones, Djougang; Tuite, Wall; Hogan, King, Wafer.
Replacements: Moloney, McCarthy, Haney, Campbell, Moore, Reilly, Fowles, Elmes Kinlan.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ABEL Construction Co. will sponsor open-wheel standout Taylor Ferns in both the USAC Silver Crown series and the 500 Sprint Car Tour.
Ferns will pilot the No. 55 beginning on April 17 at the Anderson Speedway.
Im excited to represent ABEL Construction Company this year racing my sprint car and USAC Silver Crown. Im super grateful to the Abel family and to John Brunner for working to put this together, exclaimed the Detroit native.
ABEL Motorsports Team Manager, John Brunner, recognized after working with Ferns in 2024 that she represented what the ABEL brand is all about and wanted to find a way to keep her in the ABEL family.
It was great getting to work with Taylor last season, and to see her success in the Silver Crown car all while learning the Indy NXT series was impressive, exclaimed Brunner. The ABEL brand is all about hard work and doing the right thing, and those are two qualities we believe Taylor exudes so the opportunity to join her in her Silver Crown and sprint car seasons was a no brainer.
For ABEL Construction Co. and ABEL Motorsports CEO, Bill Abel, the opportunity to partner with a racer in a different discipline and continue the long tradition of the Abel family in motorsports was one that the Louisville native jumped on.
We got to meet Taylor and work with her a lot last year, and I was really impressed with how she approached racing. She understands it from all angles whether its driving, the business side, sponsorships, etc. shes a really well-rounded racer and one that fits in the ABEL family very well, said Bill Abel. The ABEL brand has a long history in motorsports, from dirt bikes all the way to the NTT IndyCar Series, so adding another talented driver to our roster is something we are really pleased with. We cant wait to see what Taylor is able to accomplish this season, and getting to cheer her along all year.
As Ferns reflects on the year spent with the ABEL family and the opportunity ahead to represent them on a different platform is one that brings excitement to the 29-year-old.
The entire ABEL team has been awesome to work with over the past year, and it will be great to represent them in a different capacity and in grassroots racing. Additionally, the Bradford Allen group has played a key role in facilitating this partnership and none of this would be possible without them. Bradford Allen and ABEL Construction Companys support means the world and I look forward to what well be able to accomplish together, said Ferns.
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. This ones 4JO.
The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and Indianas Lawrenceburg Speedway race on in the memory of the 2022 track champion this Saturday night, April 12, with the second running of the Justin Owen Memorial.
The event honors the life and memory of the driver who died in a qualifying crash during the April 2023 USAC event at Lawrenceburg.
The 26-year-old Owen was the 2022 sprint car track champion at Lawrenceburg, scoring two feature wins en route to the title at the three-eighths-mile dirt oval in southeastern Indiana where hed long been a regular competitor for the past several seasons.
Among his greatest achievements were a victory in the season-closing Dick Gaines Memorial at Lawrenceburg in 2022. With USAC, Owen made two feature starts, both at Lawrenceburg in 2019 and 2021.
For Saturday, $6,000 has been added to the purse courtesy of friends, family, sponsors, donations and t-shirt sales. Among the rewards are a $1204 bonus which will be awarded to the feature hard charger. Additionally, $604 is up for grabs to the first non-transfer in the semi-feature.
Furthermore, a $404 bonus will be awarded to the driver with the second fastest hot lap time, and $404 more will go to the second fastest qualifier. Plus, $264 more will go to fourth place in the feature while $26 extra will be awarded to the fourth-place finisher in each heat race.
For the longest time, Lawrenceburgs Spring USAC National Sprint Car event had the distinction of producing a different winner each year between 2006 and 2023: Jon Stanbrough (2006), Levi Jones (2007), Josh Wise (2009), Jerry Coons Jr. (2010), Kevin Thomas Jr. (2013), Justin Grant (2014), Logan Jarrett (2015), Dave Darland (2016), Chris Windom (2017) and Brady Bacon (2021).
But in 2024, Kevin Thomas Jr. put an end to that streak by becoming the first two-time Spring Lawrenceburg victor after also scoring in 2013.
At this time a year ago, it was the Cullman, Alabama drivers first win after joining Rock Steady Racing. Now, after a bit of an inauspicious start with a best finish of 8th through the first six rounds of the 2025 season, Thomas looks to break through at the same place of his breakthrough nearly 365 days ago.
Dave Darland holds the all-time record of USAC National Sprint Car wins at Lawrenceburg with seven between 1998 and 2016.
Two drivers in this Saturdays field have an opportunity to equal Darlands longstanding record. Justin Grant and Kevin Thomas Jr. currently possess six victories apiece.
Grant won his very first USAC feature victory at Lawrenceburg in 2012, and since then, has reeled off additional wins in 2014, 2018, 2019 and twice in 2023. Thomas, meanwhile, has added six, starting with two in 2013, plus one each in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2024.
Briggs Danner very well couldve won all three of his USAC National Sprint Car starts at Lawrenceburg in 2024.
In Julys Indiana Sprint Week round, the Allentown, Pennsylvania racer led a total of nine laps and was running in the number one spot with 12 laps to go under caution when an engine issue sent him to the sideline.
In Octobers Greg Staab Memorial, Danner led the final two laps after misfortune befell Mitchel Moles in a similar manner, leading to Danners victory. The following night, Danner started on the outside of the front row of the feature and carried the lead into turn one where he endured a vicious flip that ended his weekend early.
Danner is making his first run at a USAC National Sprint Car title in 2025, and another big win at The Burg could really jumpstart their quest as the season gets into full swing.
The familiar colors and number of the Hoffman Auto Racing / Dynamics Inc. team will return throughout the 2025 season in a different form as a sponsor of Nick Bilbees racing operation.
Bilbee was contacted during the offseason by Tom Hoffman, and he expressed interest in putting a deal together with Bilbee to keep the Hoffman family No. 69 on track after Brady Bacons departure at the end of the 2024 campaign.
The Hoffman team is synonymous with success in USAC National Sprint Car racing, amassing 140 feature wins and 13 entrant championships over the years. Dave Darland, Jon Stanbrough, Jerry Coons Jr. and Bacon have collected a total eight Lawrenceburg USAC Sprint Car wins between 1998-2021.
Bilbee considers Lawrenceburg his home track, having tallied four sprint car championships at the venue in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. In the 2024 Spring USAC race at The Burg, he finished a solid 10th in the feature.
Mitchel Moles is due for some good fortune when it comes to Lawrenceburg Speedway after several close encounters one year ago.
In Julys Indiana Sprint Week round, Moles was set to take off from the outside of the front row. However, while the field was on its pace laps and getting ready to go green, Moles pulled off to the Indy Metal Finishing Work Area due to a broken mag box. Relegated to the tail of the field for the start, Moles made a nice recovery by working himself all the way up to a seventh-place finish.
In October, he led the first 29 laps of the 30-lap feature, and just as he was within reach of the checkered flag, the caution flag was displayed due to an incident elsewhere on the track. Under caution, Moles was forced to pull off track again. This time, as his engines RPMs suddenly rose, Moles wore out his brakes just trying to keep his car whoad down under yellow, thus handing over the victory once more.
The following night during Octobers $20,000-to-win Fall Nationals, Moles led the opening lap and ran second.
COLUMBUS, Ind. Gunnar Setser is taking his racing career to new heights, with the 16-year-old Columbus, Indiana, native announcing his intent to compete for the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship.
Setser has teamed with KO Motorsports and Midwest Tube Mills for what promises to be an exciting and ambitious season, with over 50 events already slated on his expanding schedule.
I couldnt be more excited for this next step in my racing journey, he said. Im incredibly thankful to Kent and Brian for this opportunity. Weve had a few solid outings in Florida that went well, and those experiences have definitely boosted my confidence heading into my rookie season on tour.
He also acknowledged a longtime supporter who has played a pivotal role in his development.
I have to give a special thanks to Rick Russell at Midwest Tube Mills. Rick has supported me throughout my entire career and has always believed in me. I truly wouldnt be where I am today without his backing.
As mentioned, Setser enters this season having already gained valuable seat time in the KO Motorsports No. 5g Sprint Car. The driver recently competed with the team in USACs Winter Dirt Games in February, racing at two Florida tracks.
The youngster, who just recently obtained his drivers license in Indiana, joins the team with a wide racing background across various divisions. With experience in micro sprints, midgets and winged 360 sprint cars, he has proven his versatility on the track at a young age.
Earlier this season, Setser captured attention at the 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. While his hopes of qualifying for Saturdays main event ultimately fell short, he scored a fifth-place finish during his preliminary night on Tuesday and earned the Chili Bowl National Rookie of the Year honors.
Ive always embraced a challenge, Setser said. Ive been racing Junior Sprints since 2018 and my drive to move up the ranks has never been stronger. Competing full-time with USAC in a Non-Wing Sprint Car is a major step forward in my career, and Im thrilled for the opportunity.
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