There is no doubt that Jack Draper is one of the most in-shape players on the ATP tour at the start of the season. Despite having some physical problems that affected his preparation during the winter, the British ace returned to the highest level very early on and his rise is really steady.
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After reaching the semifinals at the 2024 US Open losing to world No.1 Jannik Sinner Jack continued to work hard and improved in all areas of the court. He has also grown a lot from an athletic point of view, as evidenced by his endurance in the longest rallies and his recent victories after very intense battles.
At the Indian Wells Masters 1000, Draper extinguished the ambitions of young Brazilian star Joao Fonseca and then eliminated American ace Jenson Brooksby yesterday.
A tough challenge for everyone
As everyone knows, conditions are not easy in California due to the wind and the organizers' decision to change surface after 25 years.
The 'Stadium 1' is really slow and the extremely high bounces make it difficult to play well, as also demonstrated by Novak Djokovic's complaints after his match against Botic van de Zandschulp on Saturday.
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During his press conference, Jack expressed his feelings with extreme sincerity: "Yes, I have to admit that it is not easy to play well in these conditions, especially if it is the first time you play on the Central.
The conditions tend to vary a lot during the day, there is a lot of wind and it is difficult to control the ball, which bounces very high.
I had the feeling that I didn't play clean tennis today, I made several mistakes that I don't usually make.
I'm glad I had the ability to solve problems, it's important to find a solution even when you feel uncomfortable.
It is difficult to play perfect tennis in these conditions, it is a tough challenge for everyone."
His next opponent in Indian Wells will be local idol Taylor Fritz, who is not in top form due to a knee issue.
