Ugo Humbert beat Jack Draper 7-5 6-3 in Eastbourne tennis 2026, ending the British player’s run in the Eastbourne Open semi-finals. The sixth seed moved through in straight sets and will face Belgian Zizou Bergs in Saturday’s final.
Humbert handles Draper
Humbert said afterward that it was the best birthday gift he could have had, then added that Draper was back on court and “really impressive.” He also said he thought he was “a bit lucky in the second set,” which fits the shape of the match: Draper stayed in the contest early, but Humbert finished it in two sets.
That mattered for Draper because the week was about more than one result. He had been returning to action after a challenging period dealing with a series of injury issues, and Eastbourne was his latest competitive step before turning his attention to Wimbledon.
Zizou Bergs waits next
Bergs reached the final by beating Toby Samuel 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2. That set up a final between two players who had to work through different paths on the same day, with Humbert arriving there after a straight-sets win and Bergs coming through three sets.
Humbert said, “I hate to play against a fellow lefty [left-handed player]. It’s really tough. We have a good advantage.” He also said, “I’m super happy to be in the final.”
Maria and Keys advance
The women’s final at the Eastbourne Open is Tatjana Maria and Madison Keys after both of their semi-final opponents retired. said live coverage of both finals would be available from 12:00 BST the next day, giving viewers one clear window for the full finish to the tournament.
Humbert ended the day with no intention of stretching the celebration. “Tonight I will recover and be ready tomorrow, so no big party,” he said, with Saturday now set to decide whether he leaves Eastbourne with the title or walks away one round short.
