Jack Draper Wins Biggest Career Title with Indian Wells Victory
Britain’s Jack Draper claimed the biggest title of his career by beating Denmark’s Holger Rune in the Indian Wells final.
The 23-year-old British number one played with confidence and control from the start, winning 6-2, 6-2 against the world number 13.
This is Draper’s first ATP Masters title, which is just below the four Grand Slam events in tennis. It marked a huge moment in his career.
On his way to the final, Draper defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals on Saturday. That win had already guaranteed Draper a place in the world’s top 10 for the first time, no matter the result against Rune. But his straight-set victory means he will rise even higher, moving up to seventh in the ATP rankings on Monday.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Draper said, “I’m incredibly happy and very proud of what I’ve achieved this week.”
Draper missed his first chance to win the match when he hit a forehand long, but he secured the title on his second opportunity as Rune sent a return wide. Draper smiled at his support team and then knelt on the court, patting the surface in celebration.
“At the end of last year, I said I wanted to compete with top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner,” Draper added. “It’s easy to say it, but doing it is another thing. To win six matches here against tough opponents is something I’ve worked really hard for.”
