‘A coming of age for me’: Jack Draper takes biggest title of career in Indian Wells

Jack Draper demolishes Holger Rune in Indian Wells to win biggest title of his career — With his victory, Jack Draper becomes the new world No 7 - Getty Images/Patrick T. Fallon

Jack Draper became the fifth British male to land a Masters 1000 title as he cruised past a demoralised Holger Rune – who broke down in tears at the presentation ceremony – for the loss of just four games.

It wasn’t much of a final to end this prestigious tournament, but Draper won’t mind that. He now stands at No 7 in the world, with an 87 per cent winning record this season that only Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner (now serving a three-month doping ban) can match.

Draper’s last four opponents in Indian Wells were all ranked inside the world’s top 15, with the best of them being defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. None of them had any answers to his turbocharged tennis, which rested on the foundation of a mighty left-handed serve.

This was Draper’s third ATP title, but by far his biggest to date. It confirms his elevation to the game’s top table, and leaves us asking what he might do for his next trick. When a man can win at Masters 1000 level, the only step above that is to land a slam.

Indian Wells holds a massive 16,000 fans in its stadium court, and they fell quiet during the latter stages of this one-sided demolition job.

‘Shades of Nadal in Draper’s play’

Draper had been outstandingly slick in the early phases of his 6-2, 6-2 victory, putting his foot on Rune’s neck with a break in the very first game. But by the middle of the second set, he had lost some of that edge – probably because Rune was playing so very badly.

Rune’s poor performance was linked to Draper’s assault. He was struggling to read which way the ball was going, and thus backed away far behind the baseline to give himself more time. But that only meant that Draper’s heavily top-spun groundstrokes kicked up high towards his shoulders.

There were shades of Rafael Nadal in the way that Draper spread the court, making Rune’s side look massive while his own seemed to shrink. As the match wore on, Rune started gesturing in frustration towards his coach, Lars Christensen, and seemed to lose all confidence in his own game.

A shot applauded by Holger Rune 👏

Jack Draper is in red-hot form 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zRp03t7abZ
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

As a measure of how little impact he made, Rune never held a break point, and won only two points against Draper’s first serve in the entire match. By the end, he was so crestfallen that he started missing shots that a club player would have expected to handle comfortably. And at the presentation ceremony, he couldn’t hold back the tears, cutting his speech short in a burst of emotion.

As for Draper, he celebrated his match point by falling to his knees, banging his hands on the court surface, then pointing both fists at the sky. He had just joined Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski, Sir Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie in the winner’s circle at Masters level.

At 23, he has arrived in earnest, and he knows it, telling Sky Sports afterwards that: “It’s definitely a coming of age for me.”

When the Sky pundit Martina Navratilova asked what had been going through his mind during that kneeling victory celebration, Draper replied: “I remember a couple of years ago, I went through a lot of injuries, I wasn’t ready to be a top player, and to put everything on the line. And I almost thought about stopping for a while. I wasn’t quite into it.

“And so it took a lot for me to grow up and think to myself that I could really be a top player. And it’s one thing saying it, but it’s another thing to try and do it, and believe it, and all the work you have to put in, so just a lot of adversity, a lot of sacrifices, and yeah, it’s just … I’m trying to take it all in at the moment.”

The buzz around Draper has been growing for some time now, especially after his run to the semi-final of September’s US Open. But this has been by far his most impressive tournament to date, in terms of both the men he has beaten and the way he has played.

From the moment he took on hotly tipped Brazilian 18-year-old Joao Fonseca in the first round, Draper has never taken a backward step. He dispatched three Americans in front of their home crowd, including the 2022 Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, and then became only the third man – after Murray and Nadal – to beat Alcaraz on a court he loves. It has been shock-and-awe tennis all the way.

The tennis world has certainly sat up and taken notice. On the back of this one tournament, Draper is already being quoted as fourth favourite for Wimbledon. The only men ahead of him are world No 1 Sinner, defending champion Alcaraz and serial winner Novak Djokovic.

11:17 PM GMT

Welcome to the top 10 Jack

11:07 PM GMT

‘A beast on the tennis court’

I like @jackdraper0
So well spoken , educated, humble and a beast on the tennis 🎾 court !
I want more from him rest of the year …
Be aware @janniksin @AlexZverev @carlosalcaraz ! @atptour
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) March 16, 2025

11:01 PM GMT

Henman on Draper

Absolutely brilliant performance. It’s been building, not just in this tournament but over the last weeks, months and years. It’s been great to see Jack come out and deliver time and again in the tournament where he didn’t have the easiest draw.
He absolutely took Rune apart 6-2 6-2 to win his first Masters title, this is a day he will remember forever.

10:55 PM GMT

Top class Draper

10 aces. 92 per cent of first serve points won. No break points faced. Four breaks of the Rune serve. 59/98 total points won.

Too good.

10:48 PM GMT

Plenty more to come for Draper

[13] @jackdraper0 defeats [12] Rune 6-2 6-2 in @BNPPARIBASOPEN final to win his 3rd @atptour title.

He becomes 5th British ATP Masters 1000 champion (Henman, Murray, Norrie, Rusedski) and 4th ATP Masters 1000 champion born in 2000s, joining Alcaraz, Rune and Sinner.
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) March 16, 2025

10:38 PM GMT

Draper’s road to victory

Second round: Fonseca (World No. 80)
Third round: Brooksby
Fourth round: Fritz (World No. 4)
Quarter-final: Shelton (World No. 12)
Semi-final: Alcaraz (World No. 3)
Final: Rune (World No. 13)

10:35 PM GMT

More from Draper

I feel like I deserve it. The amount of adversity, the sacrifices, the time people around me have put into me. It’s an emotional feeling to know how much you’ve gone through to be here now.
To say I’m going to seventh in the world tomorrow. I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

10:31 PM GMT

Tears for Rune

Tough day for the Dane and the emotions come out for him as he tears up during a very classy speech.

Not his best day today but no doubt he will be back.

10:28 PM GMT

Draper reacts to win

It’s incredible. I wasn’t expecting this. I put in a lot of work over time. I’m just so grateful and happy to be out here to play with my body feeling healthy and feeling great in my mind.
All the work I’ve done over the last few years, it feels like it’s all coming together on the big stage. I cannot put that into words.

10:26 PM GMT

WATCH: The winning moment for Draper

JACK DRAPER WINS HIS FIRST ATP MASTERS 1000 TITLE 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rTsipQ8vJg
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

10:23 PM GMT

Draper wins his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title!

Warm embrace between the two players. Draper then drops to the turf and puts both arms aloft. That took just one hour and nine minutes. A serving masterclass. A forehand demolition job.

The birth of a star.

‘Wow. Thank you for support’, Draper writes on the camera.

10:21 PM GMT

Draper* 6-2, 6-2 Rune

Here we go then! Serving for the championship, Draper wins the opening point when Rune flicks a forehand down the line long.

Rune then net a volley off a Draper backhand pass, 30-0. Draper earns three championship points...

Draper squanders the first with a forehand long. But not the second. Rune backhand long.

GAME SET CHAMPIONSHIP DRAPERRRRR!

10:16 PM GMT

Draper 6-2, 5-2 Rune*

Rune is unravelling and slips to 30-40 after an error. But he gets out of jail when Draper pushes a backhand long. Will he rue that mistake?

Big ball striking by Draper forces the error and earns himself another break point. Rune backhand clips the net cord and the ball flies wide.

Draper breaks and will serve for the title!

10:12 PM GMT

Draper* 6-2, 4-2 Rune

Normal service resumes for Draper on his serve as he moves to 40-15. Rune is unsure about where to stand with returning. He wants to be aggressive but at the moment he is not reading the direction of Draper’s big weapon.

Drop shot winner by Draper and Rune doesn’t even go for it. The Briton is two service holds away from the title.

10:07 PM GMT

Draper 6-2, 3-2 Rune*

Signs that Rune is beginning to settle and get comfortable with the occasion. Back-to-back first serves are unreturned by Draper and Rune keeps himself in the match.

10:03 PM GMT

Draper* 6-2, 3-1 Rune

Rune best moment of the match comes after Draper hits a cross court backhand deep but Rune finds the angle to strike a forehand winner past the Briton, 30-30.

First bit of pressure on the Draper serve. He goes for a drop shot but nets, deuce. No tension in that forehand from Draper and Rune frames his reply wide.

Draper overcomplicating things here. Needs to keep it simple and remember the tactics which have got him to this point. And he comes through his trickiest game of the match when Rune slices a forehand long.

09:59 PM GMT

‘Shades of Rafael Nadal in what Draper has been doing to Rune’

Shades of Rafael Nadal in what Draper has been doing to Rune, using heavy topspin and kicking the ball up steeply off this receptive court. There’s been a lot of points where Rune has found himself way behind the baseline, flapping around uncomfortably at balls that are constantly flying up around his shoulders.

Indian Wells is a great place to play if you like a high ball, but Rune doesn’t look at all comfortable in that area. He wants a few in his strike zone at hip height and at the moment he’s not getting enough.

09:56 PM GMT

Draper 6-2, 2-1 Rune*

Draper is putting on a masterclass today. He earns an applause from Rune after a Rafael Nadal-like forehand winner. It had whip and angle, which completely wrong-footed Rune.

To the credit of Rune, he gets his third game of the match when his overhead smash is too good for Draper.

A shot applauded by Holger Rune 👏

Jack Draper is in red-hot form 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zRp03t7abZ
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

09:51 PM GMT

Draper* 6-2, 2-0 Rune

Rune lets out a scream in anguish as another swinging Draper serve forces an error, 40-15. And another Draper service game passes Rune by as the Briton completes his latest routine hold.

09:49 PM GMT

Second set: Draper 6-2, 1-0 Rune*

Rune made just 1/12 returns on Draper’s first serve in the first set and won just 17 of the 45 points played. But Draper will know he suffered a drop in level yesterday against Carlos Alcaraz. He won’t want that to happen again.

Rune left the court after the first set. He needs to compose himself quickly. However once we get back underway, Draper goes on the attack and moves to 15-30 with a 93mph forehand winner.

Another Rune error and he is cursing at the back of the court. Two break points.

Rune saves the first but not the second. He makes a rare first serve and Draper’s return should leave him with an easy volley but he opts to let it go thinking the ball is going long. However the ball drops in and Draper breaks again.

09:42 PM GMT

‘Shock and awe from Draper’

Shock and awe from Draper in that first set, which emulated his demolition of Alcaraz in yesterday’s opener. Advertisers will want their money back if this keeps on running away from Rune at the same pace. Curious to think that, only a year ago, Draper was concerned that he needed to up his aggression levels because he was too passive in rallies.

Twelve months can be a long time in tennis.

09:42 PM GMT

Draper* 6-2 Rune

Must be nice for Draper to have such a reliable weapon whenever he needs it. His serve is one of the best on the tour and continuing to cause Rune all sorts of problems.

A serve out wide goes for an ace and gives him a set point after 29 minutes. And Draper only needs one chance as Rune nets a backhand return.

Draper wins first set.

A DOMINANT first set for Jack Draper 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AOLx8I4DRP
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

09:38 PM GMT

Draper 5-2 Rune*

Rune finally gets a straightforward serve game as he follows Draper with a love hold. Draper to serve for the set next!

09:36 PM GMT

Draper* 5-1 Rune

Draper is yet to drop a point when his first serve goes in. He’s up to 5 aces in the matches and 30 for the tournament.

Rune makes a return error and Draper holds to love to move within a game of the opening set.

This set has blown by.

09:33 PM GMT

Draper 4-1 Rune*

A ‘come on’ from Rune as he gets a return error from Draper, 30-15. But he again goes long with a backhand, 30-30. He’s been made to feel very uncomfortable. Key point coming up.

Rune long with a forehand, 30-40. Break point Draper... Much better from Rune. He goes on the attack, steps in and crushes a forehand winner down the line. Deuce.

Confidence is flowing through Draper. His shots are coming through with purpose and aggression which Rune is struggling to live with.

But Rune does stop the rot and finally gets on the board when Draper strikes a forehand long.

09:27 PM GMT

‘Brilliant start for Draper’

Brilliant start for Draper as Rune sprays early errors. It’s no coincidence that he often provokes these stumbling starts from his opponents.

Alcaraz gave the most fascinating answer yesterday when asked why he had been nervous, saying “Since the beginning of the day, since the morning, I was thinking about his [Draper’s] game, because he’s really tough, he’s really solid, and it’s going to be a really physical match.”

That’s what you call locker-room power, and it is Draper’s aura, his solidity, which has been making opponents overhit and generally struggle against him for several months now.

09:26 PM GMT

Draper* 4-0 Rune

130mph ace down the T give Draper his second of the match. Rune is struggling to read where the ball is going at the moment.

He then hits a 134mph in the same place for 40-15. And a 131mph ace to consolidate the double break after just 15 minutes.

Sensational.

09:23 PM GMT

Draper 3-0 Rune*

Nervous opening from Rune, who is struggling to settle and can’t buy a first serve at the moment. A double fault then a tight backhand into the net makes it 15-30. Draper has won 9 of the last 11 points.

Wow. Draper backhand vs Rune’s forehand then Draper runs around his backhand to blast a forehand winner down the line, two break points.

Draper drop shot drags Rune to the net, the Dane hustles and gets there but his scoop leaves an easy volley winner for the Briton.

Draper secures double break.

HUGE forehand from Jack Draper 💥 pic.twitter.com/ejhiHnlndv
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

09:19 PM GMT

Draper* 2-0 Rune

Draper’s leftie advantage is already paying dividends. The serve is swinging away from Rune and his forehand his violently kicking off the surface with spin and bounce.

An ace makes it 40-15 and he seals the perfect start with a forehand winner that leaves Rune stranded.

09:16 PM GMT

First set: Jack Draper 1-0 Holger Rune* (*denotes server)

A reminder that Rune beat Draper in their only previous meeting in Cincinnati last year, 6-4, 6-2. But Draper is a much better player now.

The pressure Draper wanted to put on Rune has worked as the opening game moves to 30-30. Patient play by Draper, he stays cool then attacks with his forehand to draw the error from Rune, break point.

And a confident start by Draper is complete when he pushes Rune wide of the court and the Dane goes big his backhand but strikes the ball long.

Draper breaks.

The PERFECT start for Jack Draper, he breaks Holger Rune in the first game of the match 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kgbUAqfTJn
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

09:08 PM GMT

Henman on Rune

Holger Rune deserves a lot of credit for the way he played his semi-final tactically, because Daniil Medvedev is so good at counterpunching and soaking up the pressure.
Rune was able to change the pace, he used the slow slice and said to Medvedev, ‘you generate some power’. Medvedev is never really that keen to come to the net whereas Rune definitely has that weight of shot to drive through off both wings.
End of the first set, beginning of the second, is where Rune took the match by the scruff of the net to get back into a Masters 1000 final.

09:06 PM GMT

Here we go!

Draper and Rune stride onto court for their match. It is warm and sunny in California. Ideal conditions for players.

After the coin toss, Draper wins it and opts to receive. Putting pressure on Rune straight away.

09:01 PM GMT

Henman on Draper

This is why Draper puts the hard work in on the practice court and in the gym; he’s been building on tour, his ranking has been getting better and better. This year he hasn’t played a massive amount of tennis, but when he has been on the match court he’s delivered. He’s been absolutely brilliant so far.
Coming through that match against Alcaraz, there was great level of tennis but, obviously, a question mark about anxiety with that second set. It wasn’t a long match, but he looked like he was really struggling.
But the most important thing is not necessarily how you start but how you finish, and he did so well to come out on top.

08:54 PM GMT

How Draper reached the final

Jack Draper's reaction after beating Alcaraz at Indian Wells

He closes his eyes & puts his face towards the sky

He started 2025 coming off an injury

Now, he's into the biggest final of his life & just had the biggest win of his life

Soak it in 🥹

pic.twitter.com/UoBKLMbG3W
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 16, 2025

08:45 PM GMT

Pre-match thoughts from Draper

That’s the thing with tennis. You’ve got to get over wins and all my focus and energy is on making sure that I do all the right things to give myself the best chance to win the tournament.

08:36 PM GMT

Huge upset in the women’s final

The moment Mirra Andreeva captured her second consecutive WTA 1000 title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/7pwmF2CPwq
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 16, 2025

08:24 PM GMT

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08:15 PM GMT

Draper eyes glory in the desert

Hello and welcome to coverage of the Indian Wells final between Jack Draper and Holger Rune.

In 2024, Draper lifted titles in Stuttgart and Vienna and reached the US Open semi-finals and tonight he has the opportunity to win the biggest trophy of his career to go along with entry into the top 10 for the first time. He would be ranked as high as seventh if he wins.

On Saturday night, Draper stunned Carlos Alcaraz 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 to reach the final denying the Spaniard in his bid for a rare “three-peat” in the California desert.

“I’ve been through a lot in my few years with playing and especially the last ones with some injuries and a lot of hard work to always try and get back to a decent level.

“It was my goal at the end of last year that I obviously had some good results, but I want to really achieve some consistency and get to the point where I’m pushing these top players in the world in the biggest tournaments. That’s the goal.”

He will face an in-form Rune, who beat the Russian Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-4 after losing his last seven semi-final matches.

Rune, the number 12 seed, lost to Medvedev in the quarter-finals a year ago and the two were evenly matched in a gruelling opening set in which they traded early breaks and Rune battled through a marathon six-deuce eighth game to hold his serve.

Rune beat Draper in their only previous meeting in Cincinnati last year. The Dane has more experience with three previous Masters 1000-level finals under his belt but said he expects an exciting fight for the trophy.

“He’s gained a lot of confidence. He’s been improving. He’s a lefty. Great serve. I think he’s been serving well this tournament. Yeah, he’s gonna be excited,” said Rune.

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Topics

Jack Draper beats Holger Rune at Indian Wells for a first Masters 1000 title and a top-10 debut

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