Jack Draper followed the biggest win of his career with an equally commanding performance, capturing his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. Less than 24 hours after a hard-fought three-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz, Draper returned to the court and delivered a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over 12th seed Holger Rune.
Backing up a major victory is one of the toughest mental tests in tennis, yet the 23-year-old Brit handled the challenge with ease. His triumph in California makes him just the fifth British man to win an ATP Masters 1000 event, joining Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski, Andy Murray, and Cameron Norrie. With this achievement, Draper will enter the top 10 for the first time in his career, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 7. His Indian Wells title adds to his growing collection, which includes ATP wins in Stuttgart and Vienna over the past year.
“I feel like I deserve this, in all honesty,” Draper said. “The amount of adversity I have been through, the amount of sacrifices, the amount of time all the people around me have put into me. It’s an emotional feeling to know how much you have gone through and put in. To be here now and to say I will be seven in the world, I cannot tell you how much that means to me.”
Draper’s path to the title featured some of the best tennis of his career. His fourth-round demolition of third seed Taylor Fritz was followed by a mentally tough victory over Alcaraz, the defending champion. Against Rune, he started aggressively, taking control of the match from the first game. His powerful forehand and dominant baseline play quickly pushed him to a 4-0 lead, setting the tone for a near-flawless performance.
Despite Rune’s attempts to fight back, Draper never wavered. He remained composed under pressure, delivering precise first serves and relentlessly attacking with his forehand. His confidence and control sealed the victory in just over an hour.
Draper’s rise has not been without challenges. Persistent injuries and mental struggles made his journey uncertain at times. However, his resilience and determination have brought him to this breakthrough moment. With his first Masters 1000 title secured and a top-10 ranking achieved, Draper’s rapid ascent shows no signs of slowing down.
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