This morning, Beijing time, in a key semi-final of the Indian Wells Masters, Draper played well, defeating No. 2 seed Alcaraz 6-1/0-6/6-4 to successfully advance to the final. After the game, Draper was interviewed at the venue to share his feelings and experiences during the game.
In the first set of the match, Draper put in a strong performance and easily won 6-1, showing excellent competitive form in just 23 minutes.
However, in the second set, he was challenged both physically and mentally, and his form slipped and Alcaraz pulled one back 6-0.
Draper was candid in the interview: "This has happened to me as well, like he had in the first set. I was feeling tired and low on energy. And against the best players in the world, they were able to turn the tide very quickly. So for more than twenty minutes, I was a little bit lost on the field. ”
But Draper wasn't discouraged, and in the crucial third set, he adjusted his form in time to show his tenacity and competitiveness. "Then in the third set, I was very proud of the competitiveness and attitude I showed, and somehow I won the match," he said. ”
Towards the end of the match, when it came time to win the service game, Draper also experienced a tense moment. He looked a little nervous on his first service game, especially on his forehand, which looked like Zverev often does. He explains:
"To be honest, I worked so hard to break that game and make it 5-2. The first win, physically I'm still recovering from the exertion of that game and I'm nervous, because it's my first semi-final in the ATP1000 tournament and obviously it means a lot to me and it's about being in the top 10 or something. And the opponent is still a player like Carlos, and there is no room for mistakes. It put a lot of stress on me. So it's really nice to be able to win it the second time. ”
When it comes to his performance, despite being considered to have played in the top 10 tennis in the world for the past week, Draper is not willing to admit it until now. With this victory, he will move up to eighth in the world rankings on Monday. On the way to the top 10 in the world, he said:
"I'm not thinking too much about being in the top 10 right now. Obviously, I'm going to have to get through tomorrow's game. And, all my energy right now is focused on that. I couldn't be prouder of what I've achieved. To beat Carlos on this pitch, to be honest, was an unbelievable feeling for me, my team and all the people who cared about me. ”
Draper also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to stay healthy, to compete at such a high level, and to have the opportunity to continue fighting tomorrow. ”
The victory was significant for Draper, not only as it was a major milestone in his career, but also for him to break into the top 10 for the first time. The victory moved him up six spots to eighth in his instant rankings.
Tomorrow's final, Draper will face Denmark's Rune. If Draper wins, his ATP ranking will move to No. 7 next Monday, surpassing Medvedev. Of course, even if he loses, the points will be overtaken by Rune, but he is still in the top 10, ranking ninth.
If Rune lifts the trophy in tomorrow's final, he will return to the top 10 and sit in eighth place. In this way, De Minaur has been confirmed to be squeezed out of the top 10, and whether Tsitsipas can be in the top 10 will determine the outcome of Rune.
Rune has played Draper once, beating Draper 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of last year's Cincinnati Masters.
However, Draper's tenacity and ability to adjust in the win over Alcaraz also gave him confidence for the rest of the game. Expect Draper to continue his excellent form and achieve excellent results in the finals.
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