MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 4, 2025

Jack Draper

Press Conference

C. RUUD/J. Draper

7-5, 3-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions please.

Q. You said on court that he was braver than you in the big moments. How were you feeling in those decisive moments in the first set and early in the third set, I guess?

JACK DRAPER: I mean, I think there was a couple of moments where his, well, I didn't feel like his level really dropped off, apart from maybe a couple of double-faults he threw in. But again, whereas, you know, mine a couple of stages in the matches just dipped a little bit, and that was the difference. You can't do that, especially at this level against that kind of caliber of player, especially on the clay.

So, yeah, I thought there was a lot of good stuff, but, yeah, just in a couple of key moments, I felt like his level maintained and mine maybe just dipped off a little bit, so...

Q. You came here seeking a breakthrough on the clay, and even though you are clearly convinced you could be a great player on the surface, how significant is it to kind of live that and to prove it to yourself that, you know, with your performances this week?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I think big-time. You know, when people say, Oh, it's been a bit like, you know, I'm not very good on the clay. Whereas I knew I was good on the clay. I had a couple of really tight losses last year, and I just needed to get my foot in the door somewhere to show that I'm able to compete to a really high level on this surface.

I think this week has shown that, and it's shown it to myself, shown it to others. I think still the biggest positive I'm taking away is the fact that I'm still learning how to move and play on this surface, and I'm right there. I'm competing with, you know, the best clay courters, the best guys on this surface in the world.

So I take big encouragement from that, and I hope that I can carry on that next week in Rome, the French. And, you know, I think that gives me also big confidence going into maybe a surface that's a bit faster, which I enjoy more, to think, Wow, like, I'm doing this on the clay, what can I take out onto the other surfaces as well.

Q. You are now No. 5 in the world. I think in every match you will play you will be favorite, I guess, to most of the players. So do you think you will feel something different on the court?

JACK DRAPER: On the what? Sorry.

Q. You will feel something different from your perspective on the court because you will be the favorite over the other one?

JACK DRAPER: No, not really, you know, particularly like, I think there's, you know, in my opinion, there's so many amazing players at this level kind of the last year or so. No matter what ranking I am, whether I'm 6th in the world this week, or I was ranked, you know, 30, 20, I still went into the match thinking there's a very high chance I could lose the match or I could win the match, because the margins are so small, like today.

I definitely have a lot of belief and a lot of confidence going into the matches that I can trouble anyone and be dangerous to anyone. But I also know that there's a lot of great players, like I said, who are out to get me. So in my mind, I don't feel like I'm the favorite. I just feel like I'm, we're level and when we compete, we start from scratch, and whoever is better on the day wins.

Q. You are one of the best players this year so far, for in this 2025. I don't know how do you feel now after this five months, if you feel amazing and you feel pride for your run and for, from December to May, or do you feel a little bit disappointed just for all this final?

JACK DRAPER: Well, I mean, of course, just fresh off losing a really tough match in a final. Like, I'm, you know, it really hurts. But at the same time, I think I've enjoyed a lot of really good successes here, I've come through a lot of matches, and so maybe this loss and maybe being in a final and not quite getting over the line just helps me to fuel my fire a bit more that I can, I need to keep on pushing, I need to keep on improving.

I'm really proud of the way I've been the first few months of this season. I think the exciting thing is there's so much more to come from myself. I feel like there's still areas of my game that I can really improve, and that's very motivating for me and my coach and my team that I'm kind of, I honestly feel like I'm at the start of my journey. So I'm going to keep on improving and keep on pushing hard and keep these sort of tough moments in my head to keep on driving myself to be better.

Q. Did you play on clay when you were young? Do you have clay courts in England?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, we have green clay in England. Green clay. It's not the same as the red clay. But yeah, I mean, when I was under 12, under 14, used to travel around Europe and play on the clay courts, and I used to actually do pretty well. Obviously very different level than being on the tour.

I think it's one of those surfaces that's a bit more specialist. You know, guys grow up in South America playing on it, they play here in Spain, a lot of them grow up on it. I suppose being from the U.K., maybe because of the weather and certain situations, we've got much more hard courts.

So when I get a chance to play on the clay, I always enjoy it because I think it's good for my game. But definitely still learning how to play on it because I didn't get a lot of time when I was younger.

Q. Given that you've broken new ground this week on this surface and in this tournament, have you learned anything about yourself over the past two weeks?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I think my game is improving all the time. I think my movement, I came off the back of Monte-Carlo very disappointed. I played a really good first round, and then in my second round, my movement was really poor. I felt really stuck on the surface, and it was like I felt like a one step forward, two steps back.

But then coming here I felt really good on the court. I'm learning how to slide into the ball better. I suppose just very proud of the way my mindset is on the clay. It's easy for, maybe Andy was the same, because he's done, obviously, so well on the clay courts as well. But it's easy from someone from, say, the U.K. who doesn't play much on the surface to think, Oh, I'm not great on this. I'm not going to be any good.

Whereas I know that it's going to be a challenge for me, but I'm going to give it my best effort to do well on it and find ways to be effective.

I'm proud of the way I've approached that, and I think with that mindset, you can go as far as, you can go a long way. So I'm very proud of that and, like you said, breaking new ground.

Q. I don't know if you have enough time these past two weeks to enjoy Madrid, and if you did enjoy Madrid, what did you like the most in the city?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, went to is it El Retiro Park? Yeah, I went there a couple of times. Obviously, being a player on the circuit, we obviously travel to a lot of amazing cities and stuff, but when you're in these tournaments, you're very immersed in the job, I suppose. So you're coming in to train every day and there's not a lot of time to do a lot of things that you want to do outside the courts.

But, yeah, I definitely have been to lots of nice sort of restaurants, little coffee shops. The food here in Madrid is incredible. Better than the U.K. in some ways. But, yeah, I like Madrid. Every time I've come here I think it's been really nice and, yeah, I like nature sort of stuff, so the Retiro Park was one to remember.

Q. You've achieved a lot over the past year, and I noticed whenever people ask you if you're surprised, you say no. I'm curious just what did it take for you to kind of open your mind and not put limits on what you can achieve?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I don't really, I suppose I don't really set too many goals. I say I'm not surprised because I know how much hard work I've put into getting to this point and, you know, lots of adversity, lots of ups and downs, and I feel like I deserve it because I'm putting in the sacrifices and the hard work in every day to be the best player I can be.

So I come into each week, I'm not sure how I'm going to get on, but it seems like it's going well at the moment, and I think a lot of that has to do with my preparation. I feel good going into the matches. I think injuries and certain things have held me back from being able to compete at the highest level, but I think it feels good now to feel like I'm more set, and I feel like I belong at the top of the game.

I'm going to keep on improving and keep on going for more with the confidence and the belief that I have that I can go deep in these tournaments now.

Q. It feels to us like you don't really have a weakness now. Like, the forehand's clearly improved. You talk about those improvements. Where do you think they can sort of come from?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, on the clay especially. I'm a lot more comfortable moving on the hard courts and that sort of thing. I think on the clay, my movement can be better. I think my serve could definitely be better, my accuracy on my serve. I'm 6'-4" and it is a weapon, but I think it could be better.

I think my defense and my attack, the mix of that has got really a lot better, but I think there's so many chances I'm getting to come forward to the net. I don't think I utilize that enough. I think I need to keep on coming forward more to finish off the points and put more pressure on my opponents.

Yeah, I think mentally as well, like more of these exposures to these big matches and key moments I'm going to get better.

I think physically as well. Like, I'm on a journey with that. I've definitely been someone who has struggled in the past with injuries and, you know, not lasting as long as I wanted to, but that's improving all the time as well. But again, nowhere near where I want to be, so I think, yeah, there's plenty of things that are going to keep on improving, and I'm going to keep on getting better and better. I believe that.