Draper One Win From Madrid Title, Expanding Masters Collection

Jack Draper, Mutua Madrid Open
Jack Draper (photo: Ion Alcoa Beitia/MMO)

MADRID/WASHINGTON, May 4, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

A year ago, Jack Draper was trying to find his identity on the tennis court, how to play his game. Fast forward to now, and the British No. 1 has risen to become one of the Top 5 players in the world by playing solid, aggressive tennis. He’s adept at mixing it up with both really good touch and a devastating serve.

On Sunday, in the championship final of the Mutua Madrid Open, the 23-year-old lefty from Sutton, England will attempt to garner his second ATP Masters 1000 title of the season – and first one on clay – when he takes on arguably the most successful clay-court player of the past five years, World No. 15 Casper Ruud of Norway, a winner of 11 titles on the red-dirt surface since 2020. It will be their first meeting.

Last year in Madrid, Draper, ranked 46th, was eliminated in the second round by Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets after needing three sets to get by Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. What a difference a year has made in the Spanish capital city. The current World No. 6 and fifth-seeded Draper has made a successful run to the title match without dropping a set. En route, he’s scored impressive victories over Tallon Griekspoor, Matteo Berrettini, No. 11 seed Tommy Paul, Matteo Arnaldi and No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti.

“When I came on to the tour I was coming up the rankings, and then I took quite a lot of losses, especially this time last year, some tight losses,” Draper recalled during his post-match news conference after dispatching the 44th-ranked Arnaldi during the quarterfinal round of the tournament. “I was trying to find my blueprint as a player, and I think that towards the end of last year it started to come together what I was trying to do.

“I think this year it’s just getting more and more, I think, physically getting stronger, mentally getting stronger, and therefore the tennis and what I’m trying to do out there is also feeling pretty set, you know.”

On Friday evening, Draper fought past the World No. 11 Musetti of Italy, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in an hour and 57 minutes – the third Italian he had defeated during the Spanish fortnight – in a high-quality semifinal. It was his 20th winner of the match, a blistering forehand passing shot that zoomed past Musetti and landed just inside the back of the court on match point during the second-set tie-break, that secured Draper’s 19th victory in 23 outings this season.

At first glance, Draper shared a look of disbelief. Soon after, he belted out a massive smile. He won 78 percent of his first-serve points, finished with 20 winners – including 10 from his backhand side – and made 19 unforced errors. Draper converted two of six break-point chances and saved two of three he faced. He outpointed Musetti 78-68.

“I felt like both of us, our quality didn’t really drop from the first ball,” Draper said during his on-court interview with ATP Media, after improving to 4-0 lifetime against Musetti. “Credit to Lorenzo, he’s obviously playing so good on the clay. I played him on hard, and on grass when we were juniors, growing up with him. But on clay, he’s a different beast, so to get this win on this court in this stage, semifinals, it means so much to me.”

Watching Draper, whose powerful forehand and solid backhand together create a potent one-two punch, it was only natural to wonder if part of his education on clay was drawn from watching fellow lefty Rafael Nadal, who won a record-breaking 63 clay-court titles during his career – including 14 at the French Open, alone.

“Not really,” said Draper, who has won three career ATP Tour titles since turning pro in 2018. “I mean, obviously he’s a lefty, and growing up watching him, but I wasn’t ever trying to think I’m going to be like him on a clay court, you know, he’s pretty good.

“But, no, I think definitely things I can learn from the way he looked for his forehand, the way he dictates, and the way he bullies opponents, especially on the clay. I think that’s definitely something I’m learning how to do, look for my forehand more, and try and dictate what I’m trying to do, for sure.”

One thing that Draper has shown – especially this week in Madrid – is he’s improved his mental toughness.

“I think just more experience, obviously more matches, more chances I’ve had to play on the biggest stages against the top players, and the more exposure to that, I think that helps big time,” said Draper, who won his first ATP Masters 1000 title earlier this season at the BNP Parisbas Open in Indian Wells. During his run in the California palm desert, Draper defeated Joao Fonseca, Jenson Brooksby, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz. The only set he lost was the middle set of the final against Alcaraz.

“But, also, I think, what was I going to say, the confidence of what I’m trying to do, you know, feeling like I’m pretty set, and my blueprint’s there and I can focus on that. Also just, yeah, more belief, I suppose, in what I’m trying to achieve. That’s it, really.”

Over the past year, going from a Top-50 to a Top-5 player under the tutelage of his coach, James Trotman, Draper has learned to trust himself, trust his game.

“The truth was I just needed to be consistent,” he said. “Trust the work that I was doing, and know that with the right mentality and doing things well day-in, day-out and preparing the best I can for competitions, that’s going to just help me to find more consistency and be the top player I wanted to be. So that feels good to have gone on that journey and realized that it’s just hard work, really.”

According to OptaAce, by reaching the final in Madrid, Draper (23 years and 121 days) has become the youngest player representing Great Britain during the Open Era to reach an ATP Tour event final on clay, grass and hard courts.

Following his quarterfinal win over Musetti, Draper secured his Top-5 debut that will take effect on Monday, when the PIF ATP Rankings are updated following the Mutua Madrid Open. Draper joins Andy Murray as the only British to reach ATP Masters 1000 finals on both clay and hard courts.

Draper has also moved past World No. 2 Alexander Zverev into second place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin with 2,290 points, compared to 2,275 for Zverev. First place is Alcaraz with 2,740 points and Jannik Sinner, who has sat out the last two months of the season serving a suspending for failing a drug test, returns to action in Rome sporting an even 2,000 points.

After their semifinal ended Friday night, Draper drew praise from Musetti. The Italian No. 2 said of the Briton during his post-match news conference: “I think Jack right now, if he’s not the best player in the world, he’s one of them.”

By the numbers

Jack Draper is the fifth British male to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final – and the second on clay. The other British men to play in an ATP Masters 1000 final include: Andy Murray (21 finals, 3 finals on clay), Tim Henman (4 final, 0 on clay), Greg Rusedski (2 finals, 0 on clay), Cameron Norrie (1 final, 0 on clay).

“Quotable …”

“Yeah, of course, all the time, it happens every week. You know, I’ve never been someone who is that worried about who I hit with, whether it be a lefty or a righty, I’m focused on myself.”

– Jack Draper of Great Britain, during one of his post-match news conferences in Madrid, discussing whether he feels discriminated against as a left-handed player when it comes to finding practice partners.

 

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