Jack Draper vows to 'compete like an animal' in Rome after rising to world No 5 - as he bids to back up run to the Madrid Open final

Daily Mail​

08-05-2025

After a whirlwind trip home to see his grandparents and dog Ozzie, Jack Draper is ready to go again in Rome. Ready to transform - superhero style - from a normal 23-year-old guy into the monster competitor who is taking the tour by storm.
'The one thing I look forward to more than anything is that moment before the match,' says the world No5, fresh off his runner-up finish at the Madrid Open. 'When I'm in the changing room on my own, I've got my music in and I know I'm going to give everything to every ball.
'I'm going to just compete like an animal. It feels like a bit of an alter ego for me.'
Draper, who begins his Italian Open campaign against home player Luciano Darderi on Friday, said in Madrid that one of the factors which drives him is a fear of defeat. That felt like a rare admission for a world class athlete but he expanded upon that point here in Rome: 'I respect everyone at this level,' he says. 'I respect each player. I know what they're capable of.
'I know there's a chance that I could lose every match. So that uncertainty, that fear, that doubt, makes me compete hard for every single ball.
'I know if I've prepared well and do the right things, then I'm going to give myself the best chance of winning the match. So I guess that uncertainty drives me a lot and helps my competitive nature.'
There are a couple of challenges facing Draper this week. The first is to back up his breakthrough run on clay with another solid week. He failed to do so after his Indian Wells title in March, falling in the first round of Miami, albeit to eventual champion Jakub Mensik.
The second question mark which hovers over him in Rome is whether his forceful brand of clay-court tennis can be as successful away from the altitude of Madrid, where balls zip through the air. Conditions at the Foro Italico are much slower - and so success here is traditionally seen as more of a bellwether for the French Open.
'Let's see, let's see,' he said on BBC radio. 'I'm confident that I'm playing some really good tennis, on any surface, any conditions, and I think if I do all the right things I'm going to be a tough guy to beat.'
As Draper's game has evolved over the last six months it has become astonishingly complete. In the semi-finals in Madrid, Lorenzo Musetti said he struggled with the Draper forehand; Casper Ruud in the final was impressed by his backhand.
The British No1 says it has been a conscious effort to ensure there are no holes in his game; no areas of the court from which his opponents can feel safe.
'I've been working hard for many years on all areas of my game,' he says. 'My movement, I've got certain strengths that are good for a big guy, and all the skills I had when I was younger, when I was scrapping, I can still do that but same time I'm big now so I can also rip the ball quite hard, use my serve and my height.
'When I was younger, I was always thinking: if I'm gonna be a top player, if I play someone what do I want them to think? I want them to think I have no weaknesses. So that's the goal I want to get to.'
What is the final piece of the puzzle, then, to achieve true completeness? 'Time and experience,' says Draper.