Jack Draper enjoyed a seamless return to tennis last week at Indian Wells, but faces a sterner task to maintain that level in Miami.
After all, he was returning to the previous event as the defending champion, yet had no expectations to perform due to having just returned from injury.
As such, his run to the quarter-finals was celebrated, justifiably so.
He will have far greater ambitions than just being applauded for solid runs, seeking to start challenging for the sport’s greatest titles in the months to come.
If he is to achieve that, he will surely have to get through Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Jack Draper has spoken about what a daunting venture it represents.
Jack Draper praises Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s impact on tennis
Speaking to the press ahead of his first match at the Miami Open, he actually discussed the top two-ranked players in the world right now.
The British superstar was unsurprisingly full of praise for them, and actually highlighted how they have reshaped the sport in their short time playing professionally.
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Draper admitted: “We players know what Alcaraz and Sinner are doing, what they base their game on since reaching the top, for some time now.
“There comes a point when you have to change; you have no other option. Names like Medvedev, Zverev… they’re surely tired of losing in the final rounds of tournaments against very aggressive opponents who go for the points.
“I think this is how tennis is played right now: you have to go out to win, not just let victory slip away. That’s how I would define it. It’s great that tennis players want to change; it shows that there’s a lot of competitiveness and that players are hungry to win.”
Jack Draper’s record against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Draper actually boasts quite an impressive record against the combined might of Alcaraz and Sinner, although he has not been able to play them as often as he would have liked due to his injury-hit 2025 campaign.
That being said, he is one of the few top players to not have a negative record against Sinner, albeit having only played him twice.
And with Alcaraz, despite having lost four of their meetings, Draper has also won a further two, the latest of which came at Indian Wells last year on his way to the title.
The 24-year-old is more than capable of competing against them and seldom finds himself wholly outmatched by their quality.
Draper has regularly been tipped to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner, and if he stays fit, there’s no reason why he can’t start reversing these head-to-heads in his favour.
Jack Draper rates his level at Indian Wells
Later on in that same interview, Draper was asked about this year’s run at Indian Wells.
It marked just his second tournament since the US Open last year, where he was forced to withdraw after just one match. Fitness was a concern.
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And yet, he surprised many with his form in the California desert, storming into the quarter-finals where he lost to eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev.
Asked if he was surprised by the level he brought, Draper added: “No, not entirely, because missing eight months on the tour doesn’t mean I’ve stopped playing completely.
“I haven’t played at a competitive level, but I’ve been working every day on the practice courts. I haven’t taken any time off. I didn’t know my exact return date, but I knew the day would come, so I had to work every day to make sure that when that time came, I would be able to play at a very high level of tennis.
“This really shows my willpower and work ethic, but beyond that, being back playing at this level is a great feeling. It’s a start: I feel like I can still go further and play better.”
Draper was embroiled in controversy at Indian Wells though, with the ATP actually making a rule change since the flashpoint during his loss to Medvedev.
