Draper beats Rune to win Indian Wells title

In the Indian Wells final, Denmark’s Holger Rune defeated Britain’s Jack Draper, who won the biggest title of his career.

Draper, 23, won the match with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over world number 13 Rune.

The British number one’s landmark weekend was capped by his first trophy winning at an ATP Masters event, which is the tier below the four Grand Slam competitions.

Whatever happened to 21-year-old Rune, Draper was already in the top 10 for the first time after beating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The English left-hander will move up to seventh place on Monday thanks to the straight-set victory.

Draper told BBC Sport, “I’m incredibly happy and proud of my achievements this week.

After scoring the first championship point with a forehand long, Draper made it happen when Rune pushed a return wide and the Briton swung to the net.

The semi-finalist of the US Open remarked in a composed manner, grinning to his support team, before settling down on the court and patting the surface happily.

“I stated at the end of last year that I wanted to compete with players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz,” Draper continued.

Draper was identified as the player most likely to succeed Andy Murray, who had previously won three Grand Slams, as Britain’s top tennis player, even in his junior years.

The 2018 Wimbledon boys’ finalist has made it over the past 12 months, but it hasn’t been without challenges.

In his early years as a professional, Draper struggled with a number of physical issues, but he has continued to work hard to find solutions.

The past two seasons have paid off in terms of staying healthy.

His first tour title was won at an ATP 250 grass-court competition in Stuttgart, days after becoming his country’s top men’s player last year.

He has since continued to climb each ladder’s rung.

He won another title at the hard-court ATP 500 tournament in Vienna in October, just one month after reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final in New York.

At the Californian tournament, which is regarded as the sport’s fifth major, he is the only British player to win a Masters event as well.

According to Draper, “I feel I deserve it because of the hardship I’ve endured and the sacrifices I’ve made.” “It’s emotional to know how much you’ve been through,” Draper said.

Draper started quickly, which he did when he defeated Alcaraz, who had already lost in the semi-finals.

The Briton consistently put a tense Rune’s first serve back into play, hit ripping winners from the baseline, and demonstrated the precise serving that had undergirded his run to the final.

A 4-0 lead quickly turned into a 5-1 advantage after two breaks of Rune’s serve were quickly followed by quick holds to keep building up the pressure.

Draper held onto the final set of the match without conceding a first-serve point.

Despite only being in the game for 29 minutes, the way he ruled caused a ruffled Rune to leave the court for a mental reset.

At the start of the second set, Draper pounced for a second break and kept his advantage by beating Rune with powerful forehands.

Even regular conversation with his team did not bring the increasingly animated Rune back on track.

Draper received a 5-2 lead and the opportunity to defend the title after a poor service game.

When Draper attempted to win the quarter-finals against fourth-place finisher Taylor Fritz and four-time major champion Alcaraz, Draper had stumbled.

However, Draper’s absence of anxiety during the championship display shows that he is now truly believing he belongs among the best.

He said, “I think Carlos got the better of me because of the new experiences and the new emotions.”