“So Many Sacrifices”- Jack Draper Celebrates Madrid Final Spot With a Nod to the Woman Behind His Journey

Just weeks after stunning the tennis world at Indian Wells by cruising past Holger Rune in straight sets and toppling professional tennis giants like Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and even Carlos Alcaraz along the way, Jack Draper is back making headlines. This time, the 23-year-old British lefty has reached another milestone, punching his ticket to the Madrid Open final on clay after a commanding win over Lorenzo Musetti. But amid all the spotlight and soaring momentum, Draper’s heart was with the one who’s been there from day one, his mother, Nicky. However, what were the 23-year-old’s comments regarding her mother during that momentous occasion?

Lorenzo Musetti has been hailed as one of the best players in the world, but British rising star Jack Draper managed to defeat the Italian to secure a place in the Madrid Open final. The 23-year-old set the tone early, breaking Musetti in his opening service game and sealing a straight-sets victory, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). With the win, Draper not only edges closer to his 1st clay-court title and seventh career crown, but also becomes only the second Brit to reach the final in Madrid since Andy Murray in 2016.

While his on-court dominance echoed across the Spanish capital, Draper’s words off the court struck an emotional chord. The young Brit made a heartfelt tribute to his mother, Nicky, crediting her with giving him the belief to reach the highest level of tennis.

A wholesome answer from Jack Draper on his mum coming to watch him play pic.twitter.com/GxMTLHpdKS

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 2, 2025

Right after his SF victory at the Madrid Open, Sky Sports Tennis shared a touching moment on its X page, captioned, “A wholesome answer from Jack Draper on his mum coming to watch him play .” During his interview with the channel, the young Brit offered a heartfelt reflection on his mother’s presence in the stands. “The last few times she’s come to watch me play, French Open first round, I had a shocker, and then Monte Carlo this year was really poor in my second round. Seems like every match she’s come to, I’ve been terrible. So I was thinking when she said she was going to come yesterday, I was like: ‘Ooh, I’m not sure if you should come,’” Draper admitted with a grin.

He went on to add, “The last few matches, I think she’s come towards me player, I mean the last one was in Monte Carlo and had a shocker, so I didn’t want to match her for a while. To play in front of her on this stage, you know she made so many sacrifices and been such an amazing support… so for her to be here it’s is special.” His words struck a chord with fans and highlighted the deep emotional bond between mother and son.

Jack’s mother, Nicky Draper, isn’t just a supportive parent; she’s also a former junior British tennis champion. She introduced Jack to tennis at the Sutton Tennis & Squash Club, serving as his very first coach and shaping his love for the game. According to The Times, Jack and Nicky remain incredibly close, with Jack still calling her first after every major win. Her passion for tennis began in childhood, making their journey together even more special.

Even following Jack’s breakthrough win at Indian Wells earlier this season, Nicky proudly praised her son’s dedication. “He’s worked so hard for this. He’s always been a really good player. But that doesn’t get you too far. You’ve got to really put in the work and do it day in, day out, and just work on all the different aspects that you need in tennis,” she said, reflecting on the years of commitment it’s taken to reach this stage.

As Jack now sets his sights on the final in Madrid, he hasn’t forgotten to show class and sportsmanship. After the match, he extended his admiration for his opponent Lorenzo Musetti, reinforcing not only his maturity on court but also his gracious spirit off it.

“Our quality didn’t really drop,” Jack Draper’s candid response about playing against Lorenzo Musetti

From the very start, the lefty Jack Draper was rock-solid from the baseline, striking freely and keeping relentless pressure on the Italian Lorenzo Musetti. In a gripping SF that opened with breakpoints in each of the first 4 games, both players soon found their rhythm, trading dazzling shots in the second set. 

Yet Draper’s booming serve and steadier play in key moments made the difference as he won 81% of his first-serve points and dropped just three on his 2nd. After sealing the straight-sets victory, Draper didn’t forget to show class, expressing his admiration for Musetti’s performance and fighting spirit.

“I felt like both of us, our quality didn’t really drop from the first ball. Credit to Lorenzo, he’s obviously playing so good on the clay. I played him on hard, and on grass when we were juniors, growing up with him. But on clay, he’s a different beast, so to get this win on this court in this stage, semi-finals, it means so much to me,” Jack said.

After his SF triumph, Jack Draper has leapfrogged Alexander Zverev to claim second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. A title win in Madrid would put him just 100 points shy of the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at the top. 

As the 23-year-old eyes his maiden Nitto ATP Finals appearance, the big question remains: will Draper conquer the red clay, or will Casper Ruud have the last laugh in the Spanish capital? What do you think?

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