AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2023

Jack Draper

Press Conference

R. NADAL/J. Draper

7-5, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Jack, difficult match. What can you take from that one today?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, obviously playing a player like Rafa on Rod Laver, something that I'll remember for a very long time. Real honor to play against him, someone I've idolized growing up. To go toe-to-toe with him on a big court like that is special.

I think I can take away the fact that my tennis is getting closer and closer. And physically I'll be first to say I'm still a work in progress.

That's what I take from it, I suppose.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about what the problems were you experienced.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, just cramping. Early on in the third set, after I felt like I was gaining a bit of monument, just started getting cramp. It's not something I've not experienced before.

I feel like, yeah, I just need to investigate why I'm getting it, but also know that I've only just started really with my fitness trainer that I've invested in. It's going to be a work in progress, the cramp.

Q. How painful was it physically?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, it is. Playing Grand Slam tennis, you've got to be out there, especially playing someone like Rafa, for hours and hours and hours.

I feel like if you're not cramping, then that's fine. The pains of playing high-level tennis on the body is tough. But when you start cramping, it becomes almost impossible, in all honesty.

Q. How do you feel sort of in the aftermath of the match? What sort of treatment have you had in between time?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, disappointed obviously.

Q. I meant physically, as well.

JACK DRAPER: Physically...

At this point, when I came off, I just wanted to make sure, because I started -- I realize now it's not, but I started having really bad cramp in my rib area, which I thought I maybe strained on court. But I think it's just cramp because it's calmed down pretty quickly. So pretty happy about that.

But yeah, I mean, a little bit sore, but I feel okay now.

Q. Is it extra frustrating, the physical issue, because so much of that match, until that point, it was so close?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I almost felt at the beginning of the third that my tennis was right there. I almost felt like I was in control of the match at that point.

The first set's always tough. I've never been on court with Rafa before. The second set, I sort of calmed down and started playing really well.

Yeah, if I would have carried on that way, who knows. But, again, it's just the cramp thing.

Q. I know you're fairly new to the tour, so not tons to compare it to. What was your impression of the balls? A lot of talk about them, how they might be playing.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, they seem to sort of start off when they're new, you know, flying a lot. Then all of a sudden they get quite fluffy. A couple of them went very soft very quickly. Sort of gave them to the ref.

In all honesty, this is the first time I've played Australian Open, so I don't know. I know that maybe Rafa wasn't too happy about the balls. I read that.

I don't know. I mean, they felt like they got very fluffy very quickly. That's all I can say.

Q. Give us what exactly were you happy about in your game and how it matched up with Rafa, particularly in the first few sets before the physical issue.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, that's one thing I'd say. I've been on tour for six months and I feel like my level is improving all the time honestly.

I felt like in the first set maybe I wasn't being as aggressive, and maybe I was giving him a bit more time on the forehand. Played a few shots that maybe I shouldn't on the dropshot.

But in general I think my ball speed was good. I competed hard. Yeah, my tennis I feel like is improving all the time. Yeah, up until I physically started struggling, I really felt like I was in a good place.

Q. In that last set, it was obviously hard work for you. You could see the frustration. I thought at one point you might just retire at 3-1 when you were broken and couldn't serve. Did that go through your mind at all? Were you conscious of not wanting to retire from another Grand Slam?

JACK DRAPER: No, I feel like if you're maybe 3-1 down or 2-1 down in a fourth set after three and a half hours, the other guy's had to work hard to get in that position. I've learnt over time just don't retire in that situation, like, let them win the match as they probably are going to. Even if I'm in a lot of pain, just get through the match and let him have the win like he should do. Otherwise retirement, you retired, whatever... Just finish the match.

Q. You are named to the Davis Cup squad. Are you definitely committed to that? How much of a target is to play for Britain in Davis Cup?

JACK DRAPER: Look, in all honesty, it's a privilege to go and be selected part of the Davis Cup team. Obviously we got four players inside the top 50, 60 in the world. Going to represent my country, whether I'm on the bench or on the court.

Q. When you get back to London, are you and your team going to try to get to the bottom of this?

JACK DRAPER: Definitely. Going to this trip in Australia, I was very undercooked, to be honest. After last year, I was really excited about doing a good pre-season. It's a good chance to get five weeks of really good training, especially with my few fitness trainer, who is amazing. I had two viral infections so had to be on antibiotics on two occasions. Lost five of those seven weeks.

Got to be proud of the way I competed in Adelaide and the effort I put in there. Not playing against not great players. These guys are all amazing. If you're not quite on it, you lose at this level, so...

I think I surprised myself with where I've been at. Obviously this physical thing is going to take time. It's going to take patience. But I'm fully aware of that and I'm willing to do everything I can to put myself in a great place moving forward.

Q. There was a moment where I think Rafa's racquet got taken by a ball kid, the wrong one, to get restrung. What are you thinking then? Have you seen something like that happen before?

JACK DRAPER: I think I was too busy focusing on cramping, to be honest (smiling). I wasn't too worried about that. I'm sure he's got another racquet.

No, I don't know. I didn't really hear too much what was going on. I think he was a bit frustrated.

Q. Do you think you'll have time to fit in a physical training block? At this time of year there's a lot of playing opportunities.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, maybe in the next few weeks will be a good time. I probably have a few days off after here.

But I think that's the thing with tennis, it never stops. It's tough to really get that time to be able to slow down and make sure you're getting a good block in.

I suppose maybe I'll have to figure something out and try and get that in because that is the most important thing in my tennis right now that's going to get me up to the next level.

Q. Given how your off-season went, were your expectations coming in pretty low, lower than they would have been otherwise?

JACK DRAPER: It's tough because I'm a competitor. I want to win every match I play. It was almost tougher mentally because I always put a lot of expectation on myself. The reality is, yeah, I probably wasn't in a great place coming into the trip.

I worked as hard as I could to put myself in a good situation. And, you know, I played three and a half hours on court today. I'm trying my best out there. Just wasn't meant to be. Yeah, I feel better now. It's just I lost time.

Q. I'm sure you've dreamed of playing Rafa. The way his ball comes off the racquet, did it feel the way you expected it? Did anything surprise you?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, he's an iconic player, like I said before. The way he uses the spin on the forehand, the lefty patterns, the way he competes. I wasn't surprised by anything. He's just an incredible player, incredible competitor, and a real role model.

It was a real privilege to be out there with him. Hopefully I get to play him again.

Q. Hot day today. 37 tomorrow. Is it too hot to be playing tennis in the middle of January? Wrong time for a slam?

JACK DRAPER: In Adelaide last week I think I went on court and it was maybe 38 degrees. Here actually felt a lot cooler today.

I think for the players, the thing that really gets the players is the humidity. You get that on the America swing. But here not as much. It's quite dry heat. It's usually fine when you're playing. If it was humid as well, I think all the players would be dying, to be honest. Because it's dry here in Melbourne, it's manageable.