Calm at the moment of triumph, when Carlos Alcaraz whipped a final forehand into the net, respectful at the shake of hands, the 22-year-old from Sutton in south London leapt up in the air and screamed towards his elated player box.
Nineteen years on from Andy Murray’s emergence to the British public at Queen’s – and a day after the two-time Wimbledon champion retired with the end of his career close now – this felt like a statement win. A changing of the guard: Draper has arrived.
And it wasn’t just the impressive straight-set scoreline, 7-6(3) 63, which caught the eye on a sunny afternoon in West Kensington. Nor was it restricting Alcaraz, one of the game’s great returners, to just one break point all afternoon. It was everything working exquisitely in tandem with Draper – undeterred by a rare miss – playing with complete clarity. This was all-out attack.
After winning his first ATP tour title on the grass of Stuttgart last week, Draper stated it felt like a “penny-drop moment” when he decided, together with his team, that it was down to him to be authoritative out on court. No more pushing the ball into play. No more waiting for the opponent to make the first move. And it showed in the pivotal moments against the defending Queen’s and Wimbledon champion.
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