British player Jack Draper secured the most significant final qualification of his career by defeating Carlos Alcaraz, thanks to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR)-style replay decision. This victory marks a new milestone in Draper's career, showcasing his immense potential and setting the stage for future successes.
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03-16, 2025The 23-year-old Draper stunned four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz with a 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 victory in the Indian Wells semi-final. This dramatic win propelled the British number one into the world's top ten for the first time. Draper successfully closed out the match on his second attempt, further solidifying his triumph and demonstrating his composure under pressure.
"I'm proud of myself, but I'm already thinking about the final," Draper said in an interview with BBC Sport. "I want to finish the week in a great way. We can think about other things later." His focus on the final reflects his hunger for victory and his determination to capitalize on his current momentum.
The pivotal moment of the match occurred in the third game of the deciding set when Draper avoided a misjudgment with the aid of video technology and successfully broke the serve of Spain's world number three, Alcaraz. At 1-1, 15-15, umpire Mohamed Lahyani ruled that the ball had bounced twice before Draper reached a drop shot. Video replay confirmed the incorrect call, awarding the point to Draper and ultimately contributing to his victory.
Draper expressed his gratitude for the video replay technology, considering it very beneficial to the sport of tennis. Although Alcaraz insisted that he was not affected by the incident, his level demonstrably declined afterward, ending his hopes of winning the Indian Wells title for the third consecutive year. Draper will face Danish player Holger Rune in Sunday's final, competing for the title of this Masters 1000 event. Rune advanced to his fourth Masters final after defeating Russian player Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-4.
Notably, Draper's match against Alcaraz at the Australian Open eight weeks prior ended with Draper's retirement due to injury. At that time, Draper had been struggling with hip problems, raising concerns about his physical endurance. However, by carefully managing his schedule, he successfully overcame this challenge and reached the finals in both Doha and Indian Wells, ultimately claiming victory in Indian Wells and proving his resilience.
Meanwhile, British player Olivia Nicholls failed to win her first WTA 1000 title after losing in the women's doubles final. Nicholls and her Slovakian partner Tereza Mihalikova lost 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) to Dutch player Demi Schuurs and American player Asia Muhammad. Nevertheless, it was still a productive week for the pair, who have been collaborating since last May. Nicholls has become the top-ranked British female doubles player, and her world ranking will climb to a career-high of No. 31 after her first appearance in a WTA 1000-level final.
