Jack Draper survived a scare to defeat Jenson Brooksby 7-5, 6-4, securing his place in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells for the second time in his career. Draper, the British No. 1, was down 4-1 in the first set against the world No. 937 but staged a remarkable comeback. Frustration sparked a turning point in the match, with Draper throwing his racket after trailing 4-2, only to bounce back and win the next three points, setting him on course for the win.
Reflecting on the match, Draper admitted it wasn’t his best tennis but was pleased with his resilience and composure throughout. “Jenson is an unorthodox player, he makes life really difficult. He doesn’t make the rhythm easy,” said Draper. “I got off to a slow start, missed a couple of opportunities early on, but I’m glad of the way I fought and competed.”
This victory adds to Draper’s promising season, which also saw him reach the fourth round at the Australian Open and the final in Doha, where he was defeated by Andrey Rublev.
In other news, Jamie Murray marked a milestone by becoming the first Briton and only the second active player to compete in 1,000 career doubles matches. The 39-year-old celebrated the occasion with his partner, Adam Pavlasek, as they defeated Ariel Behar and Robert Galloway in a tie-break set. Murray, who first competed in a tour doubles match alongside his brother Andy 19 years ago in Nottingham, expressed pride in his achievement, highlighting his longevity in the sport and his continued success on tour.
