Draper is taking inspiration from Nadal to “look for forehand more and dictate”
Jack Draper talked about his progress after reaching the 2025 Madrid Open semi-finals on Thursday
© Zuma / Psnewz
Jack Draper, the swashbuckling lefty from Britain, is taking inspiration from Rafael Nadal to improve his tennis.
Draper has been in prime form over the last 12 months. He started 2024 outside the top 60 in the ATP rankings but will make his top 5 debut coming Monday. He confirmed his promotion to the fifth spot in the world rankings on Thursday, May 1, by qualifying for the 2025 Madrid Open semi-finals (defeated Matteo Arnaldi 6-0, 6-4).
He is only the second left-hander to breach the ATP top 5 in the 21st century—the first one being Nadal, from whom the Brit continues to learn.
“I mean, obviously, he [Rafael Nadal] is a lefty, and growing up watching him, I wasn’t ever trying to think I’m going to be like him on a clay court, you know, he’s pretty good,” Draper told the reporters in Madrid on Thursday.
“But, I can learn from the way he looked for his forehand, the way he dictates, and the way he bullied opponents, especially on the clay, that’s definitely something I’m learning how to do, look for my forehand more, and try and dictate what I’m trying to do, for sure.”
Only two left-handers have reached the ATP top 5 this century:
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) May 1, 2025
– Rafael Nadal, who entered it in May of 2005
– Jack Draper, who will enter it in May of 2025
Poetic. pic.twitter.com/F1ffpWgHuG
Draper is “getting stronger” both physically and mentally
Draper truly began to flourish in the second half of 2024 as he won his maiden tour-level title in Stuttgart (ATP 250) in June and bagged another in Vienna (ATP 500) four months later.
He failed to make an impact in the Masters 1000 tournaments early on, failing in the first rounds in Indian Wells and Monaco, and in the second rounds in Miami, Madrid and Rome.
This year, however, the 23-year-old has already championed the Indian Wells Open and is two wins away from a crowning in Madrid, thus growing in confidence.
“When I came on to the tour I was coming up the rankings, and then I took quite a lot of losses, especially this time last year, some tight losses,” Draper added in his press conference on Thursday. “I was trying to find my blueprint as a player, and towards the end of last year, it started to come together what I was trying to do.
“This year it’s just getting more and more, physically getting stronger, mentally getting stronger, and therefore the tennis and what I’m trying to do out there is also feeling pretty set.”
