Jack Draper can establish himself as the most in-form player in the men’s game with a second major ATP Tour title in two months in Madrid on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, who is yet to drop a set, has already guaranteed himself a spot in the top five of the rankings and can move to within a handful of points of world number four Taylor Fritz with victory over Casper Ruud in the final.
Draper made a huge breakthrough by winning the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March, but victory in one of the biggest tournaments on clay, which had been considered his weakest surfaces, would be a major statement.
He would be the first man this season to win two Masters 1000 titles, while he would also close to within 100 points of Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the Race to Turin standings, which measures performances in 2025.
An ATP Finals debut in November already looks very much on the cards, and Draper’s sensational form has certainly not gone unnoticed in the locker room less than a month out from the French Open.
After becoming the Londoner’s latest victim, Italian Lorenzo Musetti said: “Jack at the moment I think, if (he’s) not the best player in the world, (he’s) one of them. He’s really a complete player.”
Andy Murray is the only British player to win Masters titles on hard court and clay, with the Scot’s second Madrid crown coming 10 years ago.
Draper has long been considered the heir to Murray’s throne, and he attributes his elevation to the very top of the game to a leap in confidence in both his body and his game.
Finding the right balance between aggression and solidity has been key. Draper spent a brief period working with former top-10 player Wayne Ferreira last summer and, while the South African’s efforts to make him an all-out attacking player did not sit right, they helped him find the right path.
Draper told a press conference: “I got to 50 in the world by counter-punching and being defensive, and then I was in a bit of a crisis last year thinking, ‘Where’s my game going to go? What do I need to change?’
“I tried to maybe go the opposite end of the spectrum and try and hit every ball as hard as I can. It didn’t really work that experiment. What was important was I learned how to be defensive and do all those things but also attack when I need to attack.
“I think I’ve got the balance a lot better now. I’m a big guy but I’m not just a guy who hits big serves and can hit a big winner. I can do everything on the court and I think that’s what all the top players are able to do.”
Having confidence in his body has also taken time, with Draper dogged by injuries earlier in his career and frequently breaking down physically.
Coming through three best-of-five-set matches at the Australian Open in January after a hip injury affected his build-up proved the challenge he needed.
“That gave me massive physical and mental belief that I could push myself to places I’ve never been before,” he said.
“I kind of went from thinking that I was weak and I wasn’t going to be able to carry on to then feeling, ‘Wow, I’m actually pretty strong’.
“Whenever I do gym stuff now, I really try and push myself because I know that I’m going to have moments like (against Musetti) where the match gets really physical and, if I’ve done all that work and I know I’ve done it, then I feel like I’m well prepared and I can push myself to the place I need to go.”
Draper goes into a first meeting with Ruud as the higher-ranked player but the Norwegian, who will return to the top 10 on Monday, has significantly more experience on clay having twice reached the French Open final.
