Draper dreams of joining exclusive club in Miami

Victory would match exploits of Sampras, Agassi and Federer

- FLO CLIFFORD

The pace of tennis is relentless. Mere days after lifting the biggest title of his career, having fulfilled all his media obligations and photoshoots, and with scarcely time to digest the enormity of his achievement, Jack Draper is back on the hamster wheel of the tennis tour. More than 2,600 miles away from the scene of his latest and greatest triumph, which saw him propelled into the top 10, the Brit now has the chance to write his name in the history books with a rare “Sunshine Double”.

Only 11 players – seven men, four women – have won back-toback Masters or WTA 1000 titles at Indian Wells, in the Californian desert, and in Miami. Sampras, Agassi, Federer, Djokovic (the latter four times)... Could Draper be next?

It’s certainly possible. Across a fortnight in Indian Wells, Draper demonstrated the huge improvements he has made to his game. His serve, always powerful but occasionally unreliable, was consistent and precise; his groundstrokes and forehand pulverising; and his focus and concentration rarely wavered. When it did – in a 6-0 trouncing in the second set of his semifinal win over Carlos Alcaraz – he gave himself a stern talking-to and regrouped.

Mentally, he has made huge strides in recent months. While he wobbled serving out the matches against Taylor Fritz and Alcaraz, there were no such nerves in the final, despite the enormity of the occasion. He endured three five-setters at the Australian Open that should have been dealt with in three or four – a stat reminiscent of Andy Murray – but he was sharper at the key moments in California and kept his time on court to a minimum.