Draper doesn't back down before facing Alcaraz: "I can defeat anyone"

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🎾 Jack Draper vs Carlos Alcaraz

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This Saturday will be a very special day for Jack Draper. Positioned in his first Masters 1000 semifinal, the Briton will have the luxury of facing Carlos Alcaraz knowing that, if he wins that match, his name will appear for the first time among the top ten in the world rankings. This is the bonus this tournament of Indian Wells 2025 had reserved for him, although to take it, he will have to do the most challenging part. Will he be able to defeat the Spaniard again as he did last year at Queen’s? Despite the completely opposite conditions here, the Briton trusts in his potential to defeat anyone as long as he can showcase his game. These were his statements after his latest triumph against Ben Shelton.

Pleased with his progress

"My tennis has been improving all the time, gaining more experience at high levels, accumulating wins against the best players in the world like Ben (Shelton). Obviously, today the conditions were very challenging, facing truly tough opponents, I think he is a great competitor. I did very well to overcome this challenge."

An ambitious type

"I am always proud of myself, always looking at what I have been doing, thinking that I am doing a great job and such. Unfortunately, tennis is a sport where there is always the next match, where you have to show where you stand once again. Due to my mentality, I feel that I am never content with anything, always wanting one more victory, giving myself the opportunity to play against the best. I just want to keep progressing and improving, keep moving towards success. Obviously, now that I am at the end of the week, if I look back I am proud of what I have done, but right now everything is about my next match."

First Masters 1000 semifinal

"Honestly, I do not think about it at all, I do not know. There are so many things I could think about... but tennis is a sport where you can only move forward, it is one tournament after another. Everything is a bit crazy, so I do not think about anything. I focus on training, eating, playing Monopoly, and preparing for my next match, competing as hard as I can. The result is the result, and if I win then great. If not, I go back to work the next day. This whole journey is very exciting, I remember when I was a child and wanted to be in the top 10, play in the final rounds and competitions like this. I do not set goals, I feel like I am living my dream."

Overcoming physical challenges

"As a young player, I was always very small, until I then grew a lot when I was 16. I went through many ups and downs, not just physically but also from a mental standpoint, there were a couple of times where I was not sure if I was going to continue. It is very difficult to go through the Futures and the Challenger, it is a brutal path, those places are not Wimbledon or Indian Wells. There you have to go to a place for 3-4 weeks, very alone, but that is how this sport is. There I realized that I would have to work for a long time to reach these stages. A couple of years ago, I went through many injuries and settled in the top 40, went through many ups and downs, but now I think I have had 16 really good months, I feel healthy, I feel good mentally and physically, I look forward to what is to come."

Maximum mental demand

"I have often thought about whether this thought is really good. When I look at the best players in the world, especially in a sport like tennis, so relentless, you realize that every day you have to go out there to prove yourself. There are many matches during the year, many tournaments, so I think that having this mentality is a positive thing. I truly believe it is suitable for this sport because you cannot have a day off, you have to keep moving forward. I find it to be a quality of mine to give it all, I compete harder every time I play, on every point, it is something I am committed to. I think the competitiveness I bring to the court is the true key to my success."

Confidence to defeat anyone

"My coach and I believe that if I put my game on the court and do things right, honestly, I can beat anyone. Obviously, we know that at these levels, margins are very small, but there are still a couple of tactical things we can adjust to defeat the best. Perhaps discovering where an opponent likes to serve more, or seeing where I need to position myself for the return, but here everyone is so good at beating each other. The point is to go out and give it your all, we try our best to execute our game plan, that's where we start from. In my case, if I give my 100%, I am at peace, that is all I can do."

Alcaraz in semifinals

"He is a great champion, doing incredible things in tennis, so good for the sport... but not only for the players, but also for the spectators to watch. He is setting a very high benchmark, which is very good for a player like me, because I see him and can play against him, I need to be at his level and hopefully compete for big tournaments. I love having the opportunity to face Carlos again, I think we make a great combination, he brings a lot on the court, especially in these conditions. It will be another great opportunity to prove that I belong among the top players".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Draper no se arruga antes de verse con Alcaraz: "Puedo vencer a cualquiera"