When I won Stuttgart, a weight was lifted off my shoulders," says Draper

Jack Draper is proving over time that he will be a player to reckon with in the professional tennis world in the years to come. After his victory against Joao Fonseca, he explained that his title in Stuttgart might have been a turning point in his career.

"I was trying to understand the keys necessary to make a jump in the rankings. And there wasn't one specific match that could have changed things, but perhaps winning a title in Stuttgart.

I think that was the moment. I had been to two or three finals, and I thought to myself: sometimes in tennis, you can be a higher-ranked player, but you might not necessarily leave a mark in tennis history.

What's important is to say to yourself, at least I've won a title, I've accomplished something. The moment I won that title, a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

That's when I was able to make progress. From there, I continued on my path; I reached the semifinals of the US Open as well. I felt like I belonged among the top-ranked players.

I was also able to be more consistent in my training. I was able to compete against the best players, to train with the best players. It's a combination of everything, really.

It's a sport where you have to have confidence in yourself. Consistency too, that's what I'm trying to do with my tennis, also finding the keys to success in my tennis, and putting it into practice.