Jack Draper returned to centre court at the Wiener Stadthalle on Sunday for one of the biggest matches he has played, his first ATP 500 final. So far in the 22-year-old’s young career, some of these lofty occasions have come with overwhelming tension and nerves, leading to physical issues that have stopped him from summoning his best tennis when needed.
But after a year in which the British No 1 has diligently worked his way towards the top of his game, this time he was ready. He clinched his biggest title yet with a brilliant exhibition of his potential and resilience, dominating much of his match against Karen Khachanov before holding off a late surge to win the Vienna Open with a supreme 6-4, 7-5 victory.
It marks Draper’s second career ATP title, after his maiden triumph at the Stuttgart Open on grass this year, and his first ATP 500 title. He will rise to a career high of No 15 from his current world ranking of 18, a significant milestone that will take him into a higher seeding bracket in the many significant tournaments to come.
“It’s been an amazing week, winning my first 500,” Draper said. “It’s been a long year for me with many ups and downs but I’ve proved that if I keep working consistently well with the team then I’m going to keep on having great results. I knew that coming here this week I was in good form, but I wasn’t too sure how my body was. I think, again, it’s a testament to the work I’ve been doing and how much I’m dedicating myself to this sport. I’m very proud of myself.”
Draper and Khachanov met two years ago in the third round of the US Open, one of the first outstanding moments in the Briton’s career. He was striking the ball beautifully then and he put himself in position for a potential fourth-round berth. But he was far from ready. As he served for a lead of two sets to one, Draper tore his hamstring and was forced to retire, one of the many times that his physical frailty halted his progress.
Draper has had to work through so many more disappointments but has remained patient as he worked on his physicality and after reaching his first grand slam semi-final at the US Open last month, he is entering every match filled with confidence.
From the beginning in Vienna, he was sharp. He broke Khachanov’s serve early and served at a high level throughout the set, landing 79% of first serves and winning 95% of points behind them. He lasered his forehand down the line with ease and rushed the elaborate forehand swing of his Russian opponent.
By the start of the second set, Khachanov was visibly rattled and Draper maintained his relentless aggression from inside the baseline, rolling to a 4-0 lead. Two games from victory, though, Draper’s energy dropped. As his first serve percentage and ball speed fell, his error count rose. Khachanov began to wrest control of the neutral rallies and he reeled off five games in a row, establishing a 5-4, 15-30 lead on Draper’s serve.
“I was playing so well and then the momentum shifted a little bit Draper said. “I didn’t feel like I was too nervous and too tight, I just missed a few balls and Karen started swinging, he picked up his level.”
As he stood on the verge of a third set, the Briton gave a demonstration of his mental fortitude and inner belief. He composed himself, produced an excellent hold and took the final three games to claim the title.
Such is the nature of this unforgiving sport, Draper will have no time to reflect on the progress he has made over past week. He will quickly turn his sights to the final Masters 1000 event of the year in Paris and, as an unseeded player – the highest-ranked unseeded player – he will have to begin his tournament on Tuesday with a tough contest against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.
