Following his defeat to Casper Ruud in the Madrid Open final, Jack Draper believes the “brutal” experience will aid his development. Ruud, the tournament champion, commented that the “sky is the limit” for the British number one.
Draper`s bid for a second Masters 1000 title this season, after his victory at Indian Wells in March, was unsuccessful as Ruud won the Madrid final in three sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
Draper, aged 22, held a 5-3 lead in the opening set but dropped four consecutive games. He fought back to claim the second set, forcing a decider.
The demanding third set ultimately went to Ruud, securing his first Masters 1000 title and denying Draper his inaugural ATP clay-court championship.
Draper admitted that Ruud displayed more courage during the pivotal moments of the final.
Draper, whose best clay-court result before Madrid was reaching a quarter-final, reiterated his view that Ruud was “braver in the key moments.” Reflecting on the outcome, he stated, “This loss hurts. This sport is brutal, but I think this loss is going to make me better.”
This was Draper`s third final appearance of the year. Earlier in the season, he lost to Andrey Rublev in Qatar and triumphed at Indian Wells, where he defeated Holger Rune and notably overcame four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz.
Having already secured three ATP Tour titles (Indian Wells this year, Stuttgart and Vienna last year), Draper was close to adding a fourth in Madrid.
Draper reached the final without dropping a set in his five previous matches, showcasing a powerful forehand throughout the tournament.
Ruud: Draper is a Threat on Any Surface, Has No Weaknesses
Speaking after the match, Ruud praised Draper, acknowledging that while his previous major successes were on hard courts or grass, he demonstrated a strong understanding of clay and proved he can be a formidable opponent on the surface.
Ruud felt Draper “has really taken a big step,” highlighting his ability to handle Ruud`s top-spin forehand, his own powerful forehand, excellent serve, and movement, concluding, “There are no holes in his game.”
Ruud also stated that strong results like this will boost Draper`s confidence. He added that “the sky is the limit” for the young Brit, jokingly noting he needed to beat him again “before he gets better!”
