Jack Draper hailed a “coming-of-age” performance after he emphatically stormed to victory in the BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells.
The British No 1 powered past Holger Rune in straight sets, 6-2 6-2, in just 68 minutes to secure a maiden ATP Masters 1000 title.
Draper made a fast start, breaking Rune in the opening game, then doing so again at his next attempt en route to taking the first set in half an hour. He was then a break up at the first opportunity again in set two as he surged to victory.
“I wasn’t expecting it at the start of the week,” Draper told Sky Sports. “I had a rocky start to the year with an injury, so to be in this position now is beyond words.
“I speak to my coach a lot about these later rounds in tournaments. I’ve lost matches in the past because I’ve gone passive and haven’t taken it to the opponent and played on my terms and played to win.
“To play the way I did from the first ball, to look for my forehand, to serve well, it’s a good, coming-of-age moment for my game.”
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Highlights of Draper’s emphatic victory over Rune in the final at Indian Wells
With victory set to lift Draper to a career-high seventh in the world rankings on Monday, he added: “I feel like I deserve it in all honesty.
“The amount of adversity I’ve been through, the amount of sacrifices, the amount of time all the people around me have put into me and the hard work.
“It’s an emotional feeling to know how much you’ve gone through and put in and to be here now, to say I’m going to seven in the world, I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Draper continued: “I want to be a top player, I want to keep improving, but I kind of work hard and see what comes because my dream is doing what I’m doing.
“To play on the big stages against the best players in the world, to have the opportunities I have. Winning these big tournaments is an added bonus.”
‘A day Draper will remember forever’
Two-time Indian Wells finalist Tim Henman said Draper had delivered a “statement” victory that will live long in the memory of the British player.
“Absolutely brilliant performance,” Henman said on Sky Sports Tennis. “It’s been building, not just in this tournament but over the last weeks, months and years.
“It’s been great to see Jack come out and deliver time and again in the tournament where he didn’t have the easiest draw.
“He absolutely took Rune apart 6-2 6-2 to win his first Masters title, this is a day he will remember forever.”
Henman added: “Watching the match unfold, it was very much one-way traffic. The second set was going to be closer, we knew there was going to be a reaction, but Jack handled his emotions, game plan and strategy so well.
“When he didn’t have any of the physical issues, he was then able to execute his game plan. To beat someone like Rune in straight sets is a big statement.”
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