Draper: Working For a Rhythm

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, March 7, 2026Photo credit score: Dubai Responsibility Free Tennis Championships

INDIAN WELLS—Down a set in his BNP Paribas Open return, Jack Draper didn’t press the panic button.

The defending champion welcomed the chance working for his rhythm.

Draper roared again to beat Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 scoring his seventh straight Indian Wells win.

The 24-year-old Briton sports activities new attire, switching from Nike to sleeveless Vuori, a brand new buzz minimize and a seek for acquainted expertise as he goals to leap begin his season within the spot the place he snared the largest championship of his profession.

The left-handed Draper, who shut down his 2025 season after his first spherical US Open win to heal his aching left arm, mentioned whereas three-set battles are occupational hazards, he’s welcoming the possibility to work extra time nowadays.

“I feel the extra time I really spend on court docket, the higher,” Draper mentioned. “I don’t wish to be clearly enjoying three-set matches, however I feel, for example, immediately is first Masters 1000 again up. Been off thetour for eight months, and so it’s been troublesome getting again into it.

“So I feel immediately helped me really enjoying three units and with the ability to keep on the market a bit longer and work issues out and be in these robust conditions mentally, as a result of saving breakpoints and having adversity in opposition to you in matches, you possibly can’t actually replicate how you’re feeling once you’re in thatsituation in follow and these kinds of issues.”

Within the closing set, Draper broke for 2-1. Serving for the match, Draper dug out of a triple break level gap, pumping a pair of aces, to advance to a third-round conflict vs. Buenos Aires champion Francisco Cerundolo.

Twelve months after his impressed Indian Wells title run, Draper is aiming to string wins collectively and shield a High 30 spot within the stay rankings.

“Bodily, yeah, I imply, I need to spend so much of time on court docket. I wish to be on the market competing increasingly more, however clearly I’m very nonetheless recent to getting back from my harm, and I’ve to be wise and know that I’ve a protracted profession forward of me,” Draper mentioned. “I’m nonetheless a little bit of time away from the place I wish to be bodily, as a result of I’ve to make up for misplaced time on the follow court docket and on the match court docket, however I’m trending in the correct path.

“So week by week, day-to-day, issues are getting higher for me.”