As the Miami Open commences this Saturday, British tennis sensation Jack Draper stands poised to chase the coveted “Sunshine Double.” With confidence brimming, the British No.1 sends an audacious seven-word statement to his rivals: “I feel like I can beat anyone.”
Draper, 23, is fresh off a career-defining victory at the Indian Wells Masters where he overcame prodigious talent Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. His triumph in the Californian desert catapulted him to world No.7, and he now sets his sights on replicating this success in Florida. Should he win in Miami, he will become the first player since Swiss maestro Roger Federer in 2017 to bag both Californian and Floridian titles in the same year.
The feat of clinching the Sunshine Double, winning both Indian Wells and Miami Open titles in a single season, has been an elusive one. Only seven players have ever done it, including Federer, Serbian ace Novak Djokovic, and American legend Andre Agassi. These are the only ones to have achieved it in this century.
With a bye in the first round, Draper’s campaign will kick off against the Czech Republic’s world No.54 Jakub Mensik. The British talent, seeded No.6, is riding a six-match winning streak and is undeniably high on confidence.
“Last week gave me a lot of confidence,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports, acknowledging the formidable talent pool in the draw. Winning the Masters 1000 event and defeating top-tier players has fortified his belief. Yet, he remains grounded, recognizing that there’s a long way to go. “I am taking it in my stride and I am moving on here and looking forward to starting again and starting strong here,” he added.
Meanwhile, six-time Miami champion and 24-time Grand Slam victor, Novak Djokovic, has been in the news for reasons beyond the tennis court. The Serbian star, who is a co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), has distanced himself from the recent controversial lawsuit filed by the organization.
In a pre-tournament press briefing, Djokovic admitted to having mixed feelings about the lawsuit. He stated, “There are things that I agree with in the lawsuit, and then there are also things that I don’t agree with.” Despite some strong wording in the lawsuit, Djokovic is hopeful for a resolution and is urging other players to take the lead. “I want other players to step up” he said, expressing his desire for unity among governing bodies, including the PTPA, to address the issues at hand.
As the tennis world converges in Miami, the stage is set for captivating narratives to unfold, with Draper’s quest for a Sunshine Double and Djokovic’s off-court battles promising to keep fans on the edge of their seats.