Jack Draper admits he is ‘a bit away’ from where he wants to be physically after winning his opening match at the BNP Paribas Open.
Draper, who is the defending champion, started his campaign with a roller-coaster 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut. The British No.1 overcame a slow start with the help of 43 winners, of which 35 were produced during the last two sets. Furthermore, he was broken just once during the 106-minute match.
Indian Wells is the second ATP event Draper is playing in since returning to the Tour following a six-month injury-related hiatus due to bone bruising in his service arm. He is defending 1000 ranking points at the event, which is the only Masters 1000 he has won so far in his career. As for his current form, the Brit admits it is very much a work in progress.
“I haven’t started with the mindset to get competitive. It’s more in the matches, how not being as up and down to maintain the focus throughout the match,” Draper explains.
“There are definitely a few times where my level just dipped a little bit (against Bautista Agut), and you can’t have that, especially against better and better players, because they take advantage of those moments. I think the more matches I play, that will all clear up.
“Physically, I want to spend a lot of time on court. I want to be out there competing more and more, but I am still very fresh coming back from my injury, and I have to be sensible. I have a long career ahead of me.
“I’m still a bit away from where I want to be physically because I have to make up for lost time on the practice court and on the match court, but I’m trending in the right direction.”
The 24-year-old’s main problem in recent weeks has been his arm. However, in his latest match, he was also wearing protective strapping around his right knee. Draper explains that the reason for the taping was more precautionary than anything else.
“My knee is good,” he stated.
“Obviously, when you have an injury for a long time, and you’re not able to play 100% on court, this sport is very physical, it’s very demanding on your body, and so you pick up lots of other little niggles. It’s not like you’re just off the court resting. You have to get yourself back up to 100% and fully moving.”
Draper will next play Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, who beat Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(5), in his latest match. He is aiming to win back-to-back matches on the Tour for the first time since reaching the semi-finals at Queen’s last June.
Should he defend his Indian Wells title, Draper will join Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as the only male players to do so in the last decade.
