AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 13, 2025

Jack Draper

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/M. Navone

4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jack, congrats. How did you manage to get through the five-setter when you were 1-2 down?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think I showed a lot of heart today. Wasn't pretty at all. Was nowhere near my best. Sometimes it's about showing some heart.

I'm really, really proud of that today. I think that's a big win.

Yeah, just glad, as you say, to get through it. Another five-set match under my belt.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looked like getting into the chair was not easy there. How is your body? How was it in the match? How do you think it will pull up?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I think it will pull up fine. Look, I haven't really played loads and loads of tennis. I only started playing points in this last week. My body really wasn't great for the whole of December.

It's a big spike in my load obviously playing a four-hour match. But I think in all honesty, the best set I played was the last set. I felt the best in the last set as well. That's a real positive.

Yeah, like I think if I recover well, give myself another chance, I'll feel better in all areas.

Q. You never really looked comfortable out there. Was that just the lack of preparation? Conditions? Nerves? A bit of everything?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, mainly just, you know, I spoke with my coach last night, and we were saying I finished the year really strong. Obviously a lot of matches, a lot of confidence, moving great, playing great. I built a lot of work over time.

In the last month obviously didn't play for maybe three weeks. I was in a lot of pain with my back and my hip. It was a really difficult period for myself where I wasn't able to get any work for my body really. I wasn't able to play.

Yeah, it was difficult to miss out on Sydney. I came here and have been building up slowly. Yeah, that's the thing. We said it's not going to feel the same as the back end of last year. I'm going to have to play matches again, build up that confidence, I'm going to have to feel comfortable in my body and earn the wins.

Today it wasn't pretty at all, but I have a feeling that the more matches I play, the more points I build up, the more I put myself in match situations, my tennis is going to get a lot better.

Yeah, today it was not the best (smiling).

Q. In the fourth set you were down break points a couple of times. How were you feeling mentally? Seemed like you were pretty contained until you started turning the match around.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think, like I said, it was kind of difficult obviously not competing for a couple of months. Sometimes you have to start thinking about it again. It's not the same as playing matches day in, day out. You're aware of your patterns, what you're doing.

Whereas I definitely felt like I was having to think about my tennis a lot more. There was definitely a stage in the fourth set where I felt a little bit flat. Then the momentum changed again. I kind of feel like I pushed past a little barrier there. The energy felt a lot better for the fifth. I don't know why. I think just maybe getting used to competing again.

It's weird. Even though it's not too long, it's two months, it still makes a huge difference.

Q. You face Thanasi Kokkinakis in the next round. What are your thoughts heading into the match?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think it's great to play an Aussie here. Thanasi is a really good guy and a great player. Always a battle when I've played him in the past. We've played a few times. Seems like every match has gone the distance and been really difficult.

Obviously, yeah, he's going to have a lot of support. Today I think that was one of the things that really helped me, I felt like I had a lot of support. A lot of Brits out on the court. Hopefully I have a few when I play him, as well, and it will be a good match.

Q. Back in December when you were injured, how much were you able to do in the gym? How did you get out of your own head and not feel too down?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, it was a difficult period because I had a hip problem that sort of went into my back, as well. I was struggling to walk at times. Took a long time to settle down. It's still something I'm managing. Still not perfect. I'm having to sort of really look after my body, not push too hard, push when I need to, all these sorts of things.

Still an ongoing thing that I'm trying to keep on improving and getting over. Yeah, it was difficult. It was a reminder to me that it doesn't matter what you sort of achieve in tennis and if you have a great year, when you have no purpose, when you're not allowed to play tennis and do the thing you love, have that sort of busy schedule each day, it makes a huge difference to your mental state.

I knew I just had to get over that period. Obviously coming out here two weeks early was great for me to hit on these courts, have a bit of prep. But yeah, definitely knew coming here it wouldn't be perfect.

Hopefully I can keep on building my level. There's no reason why I can't do that.

Q. Were you able to just focus on the match or...

JACK DRAPER: Obviously, I haven't played too much, like I said. I mean, it's definitely not automatic just yet. I felt like as the match went on, my level did improve a little bit. Especially in the fifth set, I felt like it improved again.

That's the other thing. I've been playing indoors for, like, four months. Coming outside, it's a bit more windy, outdoor conditions. It's humid. Everything is a little bit different. It's going to take some time to get used to. I think I'm really proud of the way I showed some heart today and came through.

Q. All of the matches you've had against Thanasi so far have been really close. Do you have any specific memories of those? Davis Cup was a big one.

JACK DRAPER: Obviously Davis Cup was amazing. That was kind of my debut. I was down and out. I found a way back. I think we played Madrid, where I won in the third set late on. I think we played in Cabos, as well. He took me down there. Every time I play him, he brings out his best tennis.

I'm aware we're in Australia. He's obviously playing well. He won a couple really good matches in Adelaide. Today a good one against Safiullin. I think he'll be a real challenge and battle. I'm going to have to play a lot better than I did today for that one.

Q. Looking back to this time last year against Giron, how would you compare how your physical and psychological conditioning was in that match compared to today?

JACK DRAPER: I mean, still not perfect. I'm not sure how long my Giron match was. I felt like I could barely move towards the end of that match. Today, even with some bad preparation, after four hours I felt like I could keep on going for longer and longer.

I think it's a real positive. I'm obviously nowhere near where I want to be still. But considering my preparation, the year before I had a really good pre-season, feeling good.

I think I've come on a long way in the last year. I think more from a mental point of view, as well. I felt really calm. I knew after a couple sets it was going to be a long match, I'd have to contain myself, try and sort of stay calm and all these sorts of things.

Like I said, I felt like I could keep going. That wasn't the case last year. Yeah, come a long way in the last year, but still a long way to go.