Fresh off his monumental triumph at the Indian Wells Masters, Britain’s leading tennis star, Jack Draper, is setting his sights on the Miami Open, setting the stage for a potential Sunshine Double. The 23-year-old tennis sensation, currently world number seven, is not shy about his ambitions, stating confidently that he believes he can match up against any competitor in the field.
Draper’s recent victory at Indian Wells was a career-defining moment, culminating in a semi-final victory against Carlos Alcaraz. Now, the audacious Brit is aiming to replicate the rare feat of clinching both the California and Florida titles in the same year, a feat last achieved by tennis legend Roger Federer in 2017. In fact, only three players have managed this double win in the 21st century – Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andre Agassi. Overall, just seven players have ever managed this historic achievement.
This Saturday, Draper will start his quest against Jakub Mensik, world number 54 from the Czech Republic. The British number one enters the competition on a six-match winning streak and is seeded sixth for the tournament. Speaking to Sky Sports, Draper reflected on the confidence boost his recent win has given him and his belief in his ability to compete against the best.
«The victory last week really boosted my self-confidence. The tournament is filled with exceptional talent, but my triumph at the 1000 last week and the players I defeated have instilled in me a belief that I can take on anyone,» Draper said. Despite this, he remains grounded, acknowledging the tough matches ahead and emphasizing the importance of taking each match as it comes.
Mientras tanto, el seis veces campeón de Miami, Novak Djokovic, ha estado acaparando titulares por su cuenta. El ganador de 24 títulos de Grand Slam, que también es cofundador de la Asociación de Jugadores de Tenis Profesional (PTPA), ha hablado sobre la reciente demanda controvertida presentada por la asociación. A pesar de que su nombre está ausente de la lista de demandantes, Djokovic expresó su esperanza de unir a todos los organismos de gobernanza, incluida la PTPA, para resolver los problemas en cuestión.
Djokovic, durante su conferencia de prensa previa al torneo, compartió abiertamente sus sentimientos encontrados sobre la demanda, estando de acuerdo con algunos aspectos mientras expresaba reservas sobre otros. «Hay elementos de la demanda con los que estoy de acuerdo, y otros con los que no. Aunque algunos de los términos utilizados parecían bastante fuertes, confío en que el equipo legal sabe lo que está haciendo», afirmó.
A medida que se desarrolla el Miami Open, todas las miradas estarán sin duda en Draper mientras intenta hacer historia, y en Djokovic, quien continúa siendo una figura clave tanto dentro como fuera de la cancha.
