MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 3, 2022

Jack Draper

Press Conference

A. RUBLEV/J. Draper

2-6, 6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Mixed emotions after a match like that?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, for sure. Gutted obviously that I couldn't sustain my level and come through the match, but at the same time, this week's a new experience for me, being on the clay in a top event like this and playing a top-10 player.

I'm happy with the way things have gone the last couple of days, but also, like anything, want more. It is what it is.

Q. What does that kind of show you that perhaps you didn't know about yourself prior to the last three days?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I was always a little bit, you know, wondering how it's going to go on the clay for me. Haven't played on it hardly at all in my career so far, so to get the opportunity to play top players here this week has given me that chance to see where I'm at.

I think, yeah, I surprised myself a little bit that I can play a very high level on the clay. It's just a bit more physical and, you know, when playing top-10 players or playing guys at this level it's about sustaining mentally every point, every point.

Yeah, a good experience for me. Obviously want to do well and win, but got to take the positives from that.

Q. Do you think you'll have a rest now before French Open qualifying, or might you give Bordeaux a go?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I don't think I'll play Bordeaux next week. I think I will get ready for the French Open qualifying, just give me another week to improve again.

I've got big emphasis on getting better physically. I started properly looking at that last November. It's definitely something that I need to keep on improving, and those weeks are important to keep on that strength training, keep getting better. Yeah, I'll use next week for that.

Q. I guess you must be looking forward to Roland Garros in general? Do you feel that what you have done here and what you've done last year gives you a decent chance to qualify?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah. Look, any match is really tough. Any guy under 250 is a very good player, more margins in it. I look forward to going there. This week's given me a big confidence boost going into it, for sure.

Obviously Roland Garros is a tournament that I have been looking at since I was a kid. I'm looking forward to going and playing there.

Q. He hits it off both flanks. He's a big hitter. You seemed to be absolutely living with that and returning it with interest almost. I know the Italian hits it pretty hard, as well. When he sort of steps up is absorbing the adjustment of speed. Did that surprise you how you kind of handled that straightaway?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think for the last couple of years I have been hitting the ball hard, but it's starting to go in a bit more now with consistency of training and stuff. I think it's just getting better all the time.

That's the weird thing, I still feel like I've got so much more in me. I have still got a lot to improve on my serve and that consistency of how I'm playing I still can improve.

Yeah, definitely looking to go after the ball, for sure.

Q. Live rankings dropped you to 106. I guess firstly puts you maybe one big win away from two figures and also maybe direct entry when Wimbledon comes around probably?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I think the cutoff for Wimbledon is in a couple of weeks. We'll see. That was one of my goals is to get in Wimbledon off my own merit, hopefully not receive wildcards all the time, like I want to be in on my own merit.

We will see how that goes. If I'm not playing Bordeaux next week, maybe a couple of guys sneak ahead of me or something. But I think I have proved that, you know, I'm worthy of being in those events now and, you know, that's the main thing is just getting into these tournaments on my own ranking so that I can perform.

Q. Have you actually had any sort of scientific analysis done of your speeds on serve and forehand and stuff like that? Just wondering if part of your training is you measure that sort of stuff?

JACK DRAPER: No. I tend not to be too like based on analysis, especially right now. I think you can look at a lot of that Hawk-Eye data when you play on the tour a bit more. Obviously I haven't done loads so far.

I know from Miami that I was hitting the ball pretty hard compared to most players, I think. Yeah, my spins or something like that. But I think the more I start to play on the tour, the more I'll have a better understanding of where my shots are at on that sort of thing.

Q. Do you think your movement has improved a lot in the last year particularly?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, for sure. Been working on that loads with my coach, Trots. Been trying to figure out how to get stronger out of the corners. That's been a massive emphasis. I think that's linked a lot to my fitness training, getting stronger in the gym.

But I think now it's just more about keeping that consistency going so that -- you know, it's like a three-year project, you know, to get to where I want to be. I still feel like there is such a long way to go in all areas for me, which is, you know, really exciting. I look forward to that.