ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2025

Jack Draper

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/M. Bellucci

3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jack, congrats on today. If you can tell us how you turned that match around and got the win?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I thought it was a pretty solid performance overall. First set was difficult. Came out, I played, I actually played him last year, Tokyo. And it was one of my best matches of the year.

I knew he was a really good player, and he can come out with some unplayable stuff. I think just first set, just a couple of loose double faults here and there, and he was playing well enough to capitalize on that.

Then I think from there, did a really good job of settling myself in and improved as the match went on. Pretty happy with my performance today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Last couple of visits here have been for memorable for reasons that you didn't want. How are you feeling to get that first win in in the main draw?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, very happy. Seems weird, yeah. Obviously played here a couple of times, and haven't been able to, you know... First time was a bit of a nonevent, to be honest, with my arm. Last year was a really difficult one, but really important moment I think for me and my career. Sort of, it was memorable for good reasons as well as bad ones.

I think, yeah, to win my first match here feels amazing. Obviously want to keep on going, want to keep on improving as the tournament goes on.

Q. How different, when you go down a set in best-of-five versus best-of-three, knowing how much more there is of the match to be played and knowing how tough you are to beat? How much does Australia and all of those best-of-five set matches help in this new format?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a little bit different. You know, I think when I lost the first set today, I wasn't panicking at all, because I felt like I obviously came out slow but then I was building my way back into the match in that first set. Yeah, like you said, he's going to have to play another two sets to beat me.

In the first set I wasn't playing great tennis at all, and he was almost playing some lights-out stuff. I knew that it was going to be a long match to go. And I think, yeah, when I have watched the great players, it's like there is still such a long way to go in Grand Slam tennis.

That's something I'm still understanding, but I'm understanding it better and better, I understand when to, in a three-set match for instance, I'm usually quite aggressive and quite full on all the time, whereas in Grand Slams you just can't be like that because the match is just too long.

I think today I did a really good job of staying calm and knowing that my tennis was going to get better, I prepared well and that things were going to click into place.

Q. Obviously you have got to focus on yourself, but in the big picture, last year we went love for six, this year six for seven. Best results in 50 years here. How does that feel for you and the group?

JACK DRAPER: I think it's amazing. Obviously I have been really focused on myself, my own preparations, but I have been watching the other players. Obviously Katie winning, Emma winning, I mean all of them pretty much.

I think it's amazing for British tennis, to be honest. Especially watched Jacob yesterday. I said he was going to be a top player. I still believe that. I know you guys have probably watched him. Very impressive.

Cam, obviously in Olympics last year picked up an injury and has been struggling a little bit since for his level. To come out and beat Medvedev, that's a huge win.

Obviously Emma playing great tennis on the clay. Boults, as well, and Sonay. I think it's great and it shows that we're not afraid of playing well on the clay. I think all of them, great respect for, they all work really hard, and they're all great players. I'm not surprised, either, to be honest.

Q. He pulled out a couple of underarm serves, one at quite a big moment. Is that something you prepared for at all before facing him, that he might do that?

JACK DRAPER: No, I knew that he does use that a little bit. I never understand with underarm serves why people boo and stuff, because it's part of the game. If you've got that shot in the locker, so many guys are returning from so far back in the court, that it's a good play. It worked on that point against me today, and I have seen him pull out that one before.

I was kind of wary of it. Yeah, it's a good shot if you can play at the right time. The guy is not really engaged or standing so far back. I don't have that shot in the locker. I definitely don't. Terrible. (Laughter.)

Q. You have had a great clay season this year, your best clay season you have had so far. How important was it for you to get the win here to back up the results you have had this year in your top 5 status now?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, definitely important. Felt like last year, I'm obviously a different player now in many ways, but I think I didn't really get my foot off the ground.

I lost three 7-6s in the third. I have always enjoyed the clay, I've always liked the clay, always felt like my game suits it. Maybe this year physically better, and confidence and all that sort of stuff.

Yeah, I know I haven't won a match here, but I'm coming here wanting to go deep in the tournament. I have the confidence and I have the belief I can do that.

Obviously winning matches feels good, but my goals are much higher than that. It feels great. I'm really focused on hopefully going as deep as I can here.

Q. Quite a few players have been talking about weird situations with anti-doping, particularly when they can't pee. Tallon Griekspoor was telling me that because he couldn't pee for like three hours, he ended up sitting on his couch watching an IX game, the full game with the anti-doping guy, until he could pee. Curious if you have had any weird experiences with them, or if not, in general, what's it like having someone watch you take a piss? (Laughter.)

JACK DRAPER: Well, you know, it's obviously a difficult moment, right? You know, sometimes you push so hard that you're farting and you're right next to them.

It's a tough job for them, as well. I always keep that in mind. Some people get annoyed and stuff because it is a very intimate situation.

But at the end of the day, like, I feel for that person, as well. It's their job. But yeah, it's sometimes difficult as well. Like if it's really late and stuff, and, you know, you want to get cracking on with whatever you're doing next and stuff. You've got to wait around and do that for a long time, you know, it's difficult because you're losing sleep. Then I also think it's a tough job for them, as well. It's not easy.

Yeah, some awkward moments, for sure.

Q. You mentioned about your game, you feel it works on clay. How much are you just playing your normal game? How much are you making adjustments for the surface?

JACK DRAPER: I mean, I think one of the biggest things for me was the movement. You know, sliding into the ball, knowing when to, yeah, just get 'round my forehand more. I think definitely looking for my forehand more is a big thing. Using that as a weapon more.

I think just sliding, you watch the best players on the clay courts, they're able to slide into balls off both wings. I feel like maybe in the past I struggled with that a little bit more, whereas my timing of that has improved a lot.

And it's just small adjustments of what balls to play at the right time. I think naturally my game really suits the clay, so I don't think about it too much, in all honesty.