Jack Draper’s mother has praised her son’s dedication following his triumph at the Indian Wells Open.
Nicky Draper told BBC Radio Surrey: “He’s worked so hard for this. He’s always been a really good player.”
“But that doesn’t get you too far. You’ve got to really put in the work and do it day in, day out, and just work on all the different aspects that you need in tennis.”
She described the final as “fairly straight-forward” compared to previous matches where she had been “on a rollercoaster all night wondering what’s going to happen.”
Jack Draper’s mother has praised her son’s dedication following his triumph at the Indian Wells Open
REUTERS
Ms Draper notably declined a call from her son during the radio interview.
British number one Jack Draper has claimed the biggest title of his career, winning the Indian Wells Open on Sunday.
The 23-year-old from Surrey defeated world number 13 Holger Rune in straight sets to secure his first ATP Masters trophy.
This prestigious victory marks a significant milestone for Draper, as ATP Masters events are considered the tier below Grand Slam tournaments.
JACK DRAPER WINS HIS FIRST ATP MASTERS 1000 TITLE 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rTsipQ8vJg
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025
Following his impressive performances, including a semifinal win against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday, Draper has climbed to a career-high world ranking of seventh.
“I’m incredibly happy, obviously, and incredibly proud of my achievements this week,” Draper told BBC Sport.
Draper’s victory over Rune in the final came after his stunning upset of Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on his unexpected triumph, Draper said: “I wasn’t expecting it at the start of the week.
READ MORE:Lewis Hamilton makes complaint after nightmare Ferrari debut at Australian Grand Prix
“I had a rocky start to the year with an injury, so to be in this position now is beyond words.”
The 23-year-old highlighted his tactical approach to the final.
“I speak to my coach a lot about these later rounds in tournaments. I’ve lost matches in the past because I’ve gone passive and haven’t taken it to the opponent,” he explained.
“To play the way I did from the first ball, to look for my forehand, to serve well, it’s a good, coming-of-age moment for my game.”
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Virgil van Dijk seen performing classy gesture after Liverpool lose to Newcastle in Carabao Cup final
- Sir Chris Hoy’s wife makes heartbreaking admission about husband’s cancer battle and own MS fight
- Alan Shearer joins in Newcastle Carabao Cup celebrations as players party night away after Liverpool win
Draper hails from Leatherhead in Surrey and attended Reed’s School and Parkside School in Cobham.
His tennis journey began at Sutton Tennis Club.
At just five years old, he joined the Weybridge Tennis Academy, laying the foundation for his future success.
Jack Draper was far too strong for Holger Rune at Indian Wells on Thursday nightREUTERS
On climbing to world No 7, Draper added: “I feel like I deserve it in all honesty.
“The amount of adversity I’ve been through, the amount of sacrifices, the amount of time all the people around me have put into me and the hard work.
“It’s an emotional feeling to know how much you’ve gone through and put in and to be here now, to say I’m going to seven in the world, I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”