Match ReportBriton chasing first ATP Masters 1000 title
March 13, 2025
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Jack Draper will crack the Top 10 if he pushes onto the Indian Wells final. By Sam Jacot
Jack Draper clinched the biggest win of his season on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open, where he eliminated former champion and World No. 4 Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells for the first time.
The British lefty won seven straight games from 4-5 in the first set to 4-0 in the second set to gain firm control of the clash, before he served out at the second time of asking for his third Top 5 win.
Draper’s success against the home favourite was underpinned by a dominant serving performance, with the 23-year-old winning 91 per cent (32/35) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to improve to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Fritz.
“I felt great. It is the best match I have played here so far in the three years I have been here,” Draper said. “I was happy with the way I was sharp. I moved great and competed well. There were a few moments here and there which I was brave, which I spoke to my coach about before the match. When you have chances against these types of players. Taylor is such an amazing player, so to come through in the way I did I am very proud of that.”
Man on a mission 😤@jackdraper0 is into his first Indian Wells quarter-final.@BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/c8N3kpKIof
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 13, 2025
With his 79-minute win, Draper advanced to his third ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. The World No. 14, who would crack the Top 10 for the first time if he reaches his second tour-level final of the season (Doha), lost in the last eight in Montreal in 2022 and in Cincinnati in 2024.
Draper will aim to go at least one step further in California, where he next meets Ben Shelton.
“I am very excited for that matchup,” Draper said on Shelton. “He is an amazing young talent like myself and brings such an amazing energy to the court, to the changing room. He is one of the nicest guys around so I will really enjoy that matchup and I am looking forward to competing.”
Fritz holds fond memories in Indian Wells, having won the biggest title of his career at the hard-court event in 2022. The third seed has struggled to find his best level at the start of the 2025 season, failing to win consecutive matches in Dallas and Delray Beach.
Chasing a confidence-boosting win against Draper, the 27-year-old was unable to outmanoeuvre the Brit on Stadium 1. Draper soaked up Fritz’s hitting and was able to take the first strike in the baseline exchanges and held firm when the pressure mounted at the end to close out on his first match point.
The 23-year-old ended with a 24-17 winners-unforced errors count, with Fritz 19-19. Watching Draper courtside was coach James Trotman, who was the subject of March’s ATP Coach spotlight.
“I was building some amazing stuff at the end of last year. I was moving great, playing great and seeing the ball very well,” said Draper, who has struggled with injuries in recent years. “I just had a bit of a break at the start of this year when I was injured. But with all of those problems, I have adjusted my schedule and that has helped me. I am happy with the way me and my team have worked and come through some tough times and the hard work is paying off.”
