Jack Draper has pledged to come out all guns blazing for the rest of the season in his quest to become one of the world’s best after winning his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart on Sunday.
The 6ft 4in 22-year-old said he was guilty of playing like he was just 5ft 6in against some of the bigger guns on tour, relying on grinding out much of his wins for the back of the court.
But he now plans to continue his policy of going more on the offensive – as first tried unsuccessfully on the clay in Geneva and the French Open before clicking in Germany over the past week.
“The way I have won matches historically is by out-grinding players and being tough to beat,” he said. “That’s got me to 40 in the world.
“I have lost a lot of tough matches and it’s all because they have beat me in the end and I have been too defensive, I haven’t taken it to them.
“When you do get a bit tentative, you’re going to get punished. Ultimately, I want to play tennis where I’m able to beat these players by being aggressive and being the one to dominate them.
“It was just a moment where I was like, I need to change, and I really, really have the mindset of wanting to play like a 6ft 4in big-serving player. And whether that is taking more risks and maybe missing a few more shots than I would usually do, then that’s ok, because I’m doing the right things and it will come together, and get more and more consistent.”
Draper had cut a disconsolate figure after his early exit at the French Open but admitted he had been at fault in not trusting the new all-out attack approach early on.
“I was still all over the place,” he said reflecting on Paris. “I was very loose on the court because I had a lot of information going from my head around how I need to play… but it was kind of a reluctance to do it. It was sort of trying but I wasn’t doing it with full commitment.
“So, when I got home I really thought to myself I need to just fully commit to this. I didn’t know it was going to come together like it has but I feel incredibly confident. I’m happy with the approach I’m taking. By winning a title last week, it kind of helps me to believe more and more.”
