GB's Draper beats Rune to win Indian Wells title

Jack Draper lifts the Indian Wells trophy — Jack Draper becomes the fifth British player to win an ATP Masters 1,000 event [Getty Images]

Britain's Jack Draper claimed the biggest title of his career with an assured win over Denmark's Holger Rune in the Indian Wells final.

Draper, 23, was dominant from the start as he brushed aside world number 13 Rune in a 6-2 6-2 victory.

Lifting his first trophy at an ATP Masters event - the tier below the four Grand Slam tournaments - capped a landmark weekend for the British number one.

After beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday's semi-finals, 14th-ranked Draper was already assured of climbing into the world's top 10 for the first time - whatever happened against 21-year-old Rune.

The straight-set victory means the English left-hander will move up to seventh in the ATP rankings on Monday.

"It is an incredible feeling," Draper told Sky Sports.

"I have put in a lot of work over time and I'm so grateful to be out here, with my body healthy and feeling great in the mind.

"It feels like it is all coming together on the big stage."

After sending a forehand long on his first championship point, Draper completed the job at the second attempt when Rune pushed a return wide with the Briton rushing to the net.

The US Open semi-finalist celebrated in composed fashion - smiling towards his support team, before kneeling down on court and patting the surface.

Teenager Andreeva 'runs like rabbit' to stun Sabalenka

From talented teenager to top 10 in world

Ever in his junior days, Draper was identified as the player most likely to take over the mantle from three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray as Britain's leading star on the ATP Tour.

Over the past 12 months he has got there - but it has not been a journey without hurdles.

A series of physical issues hampered Draper's progress in his early days as a professional, but he has continued to keep working hard in a bid to find solutions.

Managing to stay fit over the past two seasons has been the key - and it has paid dividends.

Days after becoming the British number one for the first time last year, his maiden tour title came at an ATP 250 grass-court event in Stuttgart.

Since then he has continued to climb each rung of the ladder.

In October, just a month after reaching the first Grand Slam semi-final of his career in New York, he lifted another title at the hard-court ATP 500 tournament in Vienna.

Now he has become only the fifth British player to win a Masters event at the Californian tournament widely known as the sport's fifth major.

"I feel I deserve it, the amount of adversity I've been through and the sacrifices - it is an emotional feeling to know much you've gone through," Draper said.

"To stand here and say I'll be seventh in the world - I can't say how much that means."

Topics

Draper beats Rune to win Indian Wells title

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