BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 16, 2025

Jack Draper

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/H. Rune

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Our 2025 BNP Paribas men's singles champion. Congrats a lot, Jack. Have you thought about the title, and what mindset have you brought into the final to produce such an amazing performance?

JACK DRAPER: I mean, obviously it feels incredible to win here. I have been watching this tournament since I was a young guy, watching all the champions play on this big court.

It means the world to me, honestly, to be able to be a champion here. I didn't think about it until obviously the last ball was done.

Before the match, you know, you're thinking of all kinds of scenarios in your head, a lot of doubts, thinking that, you know, you probably could lose. And just what makes it even better is that, you know, just getting through those doubts and being able to play the final the way I did. I'm really happy, really proud of my achievements this week.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Jack, yesterday I asked you whether the Carlos win was possibly a coming-of-age moment. You said, Might be. To build on that, what have you learned from that, played the way you did in your maiden Masters 1000 final, dominating from first ball to last, now is it definitely a coming-of-age moment?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, definitely a big moment for me, you know, getting inside the top 10, and also, you know, to win my first Masters title, you know, just adds to my inner belief and my confidence.

I think yesterday, yeah, was definitely a big moment for me. I hadn't kind of felt that way on the court for a while where I felt like my energy was kind of sapped from the emotions from the match with Carlos and the environment and who I was playing.

I think that third set yesterday was huge for me, because I came in today knowing this is a final, I might have the same feelings. But in truth, I felt kind of a bit nervous before I played, but then when I got out on the court, I felt amazing.

I felt like I was in control. I knew what I needed to do. I just went for it and played to win.

So I think definitely to put the level up on the court this week consistently, it's one thing doing it in practice and saying you're going to do it, but to be able to do it on the big stage, that's definitely a big moment for me.

Q. Jack, when that last point was played, are you able to describe your feelings, your emotions, when you knelt down on the court, as well? What was going through your mind? Was it a bit of shock, total goosebump time?

JACK DRAPER: I think, you know, you train every day. You put in all the sacrifice, all the work, the team around you, my family. You know, I have put in years and years and years of working. Like I said, I watched this event on the TV, watched these big competitions being played with the best players in the world.

To be amongst that now and to win that, I think I remind myself -- you know, maybe when I won my first title I was kind of, like, not really in the moment, and I think, you know, that's one thing now I try and soak it in and be in the moment and feel the emotions that I'm feeling.

Yeah, obviously just when I kneeled down there, I just tried to look around and just take it all in and just experience the intense feeling of, you know, being the winner here and the success that I worked so hard for.

Q. Congratulations. You beat Carlos and Taylor on your way to the final, the champions of the last three editions here. Many players struggled a bit with the surface, so slow, the balls. What did you do to adapt so well? Maybe this could become one of your favorite tournaments, too, like for Carlos. Why not?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean I was thinking last year I lost here, and I felt so uncomfortable playing here. My serve was really struggling. I didn't feel like I was in control of the ball, and I lost my way mentally last year.

So I knew coming here this year is a challenge, but not only for me but for a lot of the players. I think Taylor and Carlos play in a way where they are very aggressive with their forehand, they serve great.

As the matches went on, I felt more and more confident in these conditions. Today I think it's about trying to play to your strengths, you know, like I feel like I served well, I feel like I looked for my forehand really well and the bounce that that creates, because when you do feel uncomfortable here, it's not a nice feeling and it can look pretty ugly.

Yeah, proud of the way I sort of accepted the conditions and played the way I did.

Q. Can you explain the process of the turnaround from beating Carlos yesterday and then getting yourself ready to play a final? We see it so many times that a player has one of these massive wins, and then he's not able to back it up the next day because there is another really good player and because so much was spent on the match before. So what did you do yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening, this morning, in order to put that behind you?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I just, you know, I chilled out, to be honest. I did the ice bath and the treatment, rested. You know, I didn't sleep that great last night. I woke up feeling pretty tired.

But I have been through it many times now where maybe I'm playing a big match the next day, and your mind wants to tell you all the time that you're tired and that you're struggling. You know, I think when I'm practicing, I have really tried to, over the years, become consistent in my practices. You know, like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you know, there is many days during that time where you feel like you don't want to do it and you feel tired and you feel like you've got no energy.

So it's important when you're training on those days to really push to the max because you know that you're going to be in a similar situation when you come to the competitions, as well, that you're going to be tired and feel like you don't want to do it and you're nervous and all these things.

I just tried not to think about it too much. Like I said, I felt a bit fatigued this morning from all of the emotions of yesterday. But I'm in a final, I have worked so hard to get here, I have beaten five great players, and there is no time to be tired. I've got to go out and go for it on every ball. And no matter how I'm feeling, just put my head down and fight for everything.

Q. Jack, just reflecting on your younger years and Australia, Doha, first Masters 1000 here, where is it going to be going next?

JACK DRAPER: Not really thinking about any outcomes, ranking-wise or events-wise. I feel like I have achieved a lot in the last year, and it's been nothing to do with setting goals. Setting goals and saying you're going to do something, it's important to believe it, but if you're not putting in the work and putting in the sacrifice and the days of consistency together, then you're not going to achieve anything.

You know, I try, me and my coach, we try on waking up each day and, you know, approaching practice, approaching everything I do in a very structured way and a very consistent way so that, you know, I don't have many bad days.

So when I do maybe have a bad day, my level is still very high. So, you know, obviously I want to be a great player, and I want to achieve amazing things in this sport, but my main goal is keep on improving and keep on knuckling down. I know there is a long way ahead of me. I'm very ambitious. I don't want to just stop here. I want to keep on going.

Q. Just a daft quickie, what you said before, what you have been dreaming about winning here and tournaments like this since you were a kid, what were you dreaming of, when you were dreaming, how did you think it would feel to win one of these? How far off the mark or close to the mark were you since you were that size to the actual winning of it?

JACK DRAPER: I mean, you dream of winning this stuff when you're a kid. I think over the years, especially when you're playing pro and stuff, it kind of gets lost a little bit, because maybe that, you know, when you're young you think, oh, I'm just going to rock up and win.

It doesn't work that way. You've got to go through many ups and downs and emotions. It's weird. When I was younger, obviously I'd think of what it would feel like. Now I'm here, it feels honestly amazing. It feels just a lot of pride, a lot of passion. It's not so much of, like, oh, I have done it now. It just feels like a really wholesome moment that I can share with my family, my team, and all the people who have helped me, and that makes it all the more special.

So I just say it's a really special feeling. Yeah, I'm going to hold this with me for the next few days, for sure.

(Applause.)