Jack Draper has secured his place in an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time after defeating American Ben Shelton in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open.
The British No 1 emerged victorious in a contest between two of the sport’s rising stars, claiming a 6-4, 7-5 win over Shelton, who was also seeking his first Masters semi-final appearance. Draper will now face two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz after the No 2 seed overcame Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.
Draper capitalized on the only break of the first set to gain an early advantage over the powerful-serving Shelton but had to rally after falling behind 0-3 in the second. The 22-year-old American struggled with his serve, committing costly double faults, including one on break point at 5-5 in the second set that allowed Draper to seize control.
Reflecting on the match, Draper admitted he was unsure what to expect. “I’d hit with Ben maybe once or twice, but very short practices. I’ve obviously watched a lot of him, he’s an incredible showman [with] weapons … can hit a winner from anywhere. The serve’s obviously huge. He’s a great competitor and he’s been really consistent. I knew facing him on this court in front of the Americans was going to be really difficult, and it was. Huge respect to him, huge credit to him. He’s going to keep on winning, keep on having an amazing career.”
Draper has now eliminated three Americans in succession, following earlier victories over former champion Taylor Fritz and Jenson Brooksby in the third round. The 23-year-old, who reached the semi-finals at the 2024 US Open, is poised to break into the world’s top 10 for the first time if he can reach the final.
“It means so much to me,” Draper said. “It’s why I’m playing, why I put all the hard work in with my team, to play these matches on these courts and especially in a place like this. It’s what I’ve wanted since I was a kid, and to be here now is a bit surreal.”
In the women’s singles, Iga Świątek set up a rematch with Mirra Andreeva after securing a 6-3, 6-3 win over Zheng Qinwen. Świątek controlled the match despite windy conditions, though Zheng managed to pull back two games from 5-1 down in each set.
“For sure I feel a lot of confidence,” Świątek said. “This was another match that I played how I wanted. I’m happy with the performance and happy that I adjusted to the wind at the end.”
Świątek has not won a title since last June’s French Open and faces a tough challenge in Andreeva, who defeated her en route to a WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month. The 17-year-old Russian remains in contention for another major title after beating Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3.
In the men’s draw, Daniil Medvedev battled past Frenchman Arthur Fils in a tense 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7) encounter. The final stages of the match were briefly disrupted by strong winds and a nosebleed for Fils before Medvedev sealed victory on his third match point when his opponent missed a volley at the net.
In doubles, Britain’s Olivia Nicholls reached the biggest final of her career, partnering with Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalíková to defeat fifth seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Zhang Shuai 7-5, 6-3.
