Draper after his victory against Alcaraz: "I am incredibly proud of what I have achieved"

Jack Draper qualified this Saturday evening for his first Masters 1000 final. After eliminating Fonseca, Brooksby, Fritz, and Shelton, the British player defeated Carlos Alcaraz, world number 3 and two-time defending champion of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, in three sets (6-1, 0-6, 6-4).

After his success, Draper appeared at a press conference and expressed his satisfaction but also looked ahead to the final, which will take place this Sunday against Holger Rune.

"It was a strange match, to be honest. Carlos didn't have much energy in the first set, I could feel it. I had a chance to break in the first game of the second set, and he came up with an ace. What happened to him then happened to me. I tensed up, I lacked energy.

The best players in the world can change the pace very quickly. I knew that if I won today, I would break into the top 10, and playing against Carlos here makes you feel certain things.

My energy collapsed. My legs stopped working. These kinds of experiences are new to me. When I went to the locker room after the second set, I looked at myself in the mirror and told myself that I had to pull myself together, that this was not the time to be tired or to think about playing poorly, because there was still a lot to play for.

I lost my way a bit for 25 minutes, but in the third set, I was really proud of how I fought, of my attitude, and I managed to win. I still have things to do in this tournament, I prefer to focus on that for now. I am incredibly proud of what I have achieved.

Being able to beat Carlos on this court is an incredible feeling for me, my team, and all my loved ones. I am grateful to be healthy, to be able to compete at this level, and to have another great opportunity tomorrow (this Sunday).

I have been through a lot in recent years with my injuries, working hard to get back to a good level. That was my goal at the end of last year, I wanted to be more consistent and be able to put pressure on the best players in the world in big tournaments.

This victory means a lot to me. I can't wait for tomorrow. My mind is already focused on what I need to do to have a chance to win the tournament tomorrow," Draper assured after his success.