QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

February 22, 2025

Jack Draper

From Recorded Audio

J. DRAPER/J. Lehecka

3-6, 7-6, 6-3

Q. How do you feel after the match?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I feel good. My body feels pretty good. It's been obviously a tough couple of matches, but I'm getting used to playing more this intensity back-to-back. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I'll give it my all, and I feel good.

Q. Being in the final, what does it represent?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, it means I've had a great week, and I'm playing good tennis, I'm building my confidence, and it's a really good week. But then again, as a tennis player, you've got to go again the next day. Doesn't matter what I've just achieved, I've still got tomorrow. So I'm going to get some sleep, eat well, sleep well, and yeah, give it my all tomorrow.

Q. You didn't play since the Australian Open, was it a choice or were you injured?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I had an injury before the Australian Open, and I wasn't able to play at all. Then I went to Australia and I was very undercooked, like I had no practice, no physical training. I went there and I played pretty poorly, but I was able to fight through some matches, and I built a lot of confidence in my physical and mental ability.

Then I came home and I worked on my tennis again, which I didn't have time to do before, and just built the confidence and everything. And I've come here, I didn't know what to expect, but I'm playing good tennis.

Q. Now you're feeling a hundred percent?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I feel good. As players we're putting our bodies through so much on the court, you can never be a hundred percent, we're always dealing with something, because that's the nature of the sport, it's very cut throat on the bodies. But I'll do my best to recover and tomorrow I'll be giving it my all.

Q. What about Andrey?

JACK DRAPER: Andrey, yeah, he's someone I've looked up to for many years, someone who's been in the top 10. Really, really kind personality, funny guy. I think he always gives it all a hundred percent on every single point. He's a fighter. Yeah, he's going to be a really, really tough match tomorrow. He's beaten me three times, so hopefully I can get one on the board tomorrow.

Q. You're a lefty, I heard lots of player they are facing a little of difficulties finding training partners because no one wants to play with a lefty. Do you have this problem or no?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, sometimes. I think there's certain personalities, you know, some people don't mind playing with lefties, some people are a bit more, don't know, it gets in their head a little bit more than if they're playing a righty. But hopefully, I think I'm a good practice partner, so sometimes it is difficult to find a practice here, but if I go on court with whoever I play I can get the best out of it.

Q. This week the media wasn't focusing on you, everyone was talking about maybe Carlos Alcaraz and whatnot. Did that take the pressure off of you or how you liked it?

JACK DRAPER: Not really. I mean, there was obviously some incredible players in this draw. Carlos, Jannik, Djokovic, you know, they're all here and they should get the attention because they're champions. I'm not a champion yet, so I got to keep on working, keep on improving. I feel there's always pressure on me because I put pressure on myself to get the best out of my performance, and if I don't do that I'm not happy. So, yeah, I suppose I'm just really happy to be in the final, and give it my all tomorrow.