Jack Draper makes his feelings known on beating Carlos Alcaraz in 'strange' Indian Wells SF

Jack Draper shared his thoughts after conquering Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open. He outclassed the Spaniard 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 in a gripping three-set bout.

Draper entered Indian Wells on the back of a runner-up finish in the Qatar Open. He continued his rich vein of form at the Masters 1000 event and is now one win away from claiming the title.

The Brit reflected on his performance against the defending champion and felt proud to have kept his composure when it mattered the most. Here's what he said in his post-match interview after eliminating Alcaraz.

“It was a strange match. Carlos came out and he was a bit flat. The first set went quickly. I had a chance in the first game of the 2nd and he came out with an ace. It kind of happened to me, what happened to him In the first set. I got tight. I got low energy," Draper said.

"Against the top players in the world, they can change their momentum very quickly. I just got lost out there for twenty-five minutes. In the third I came out, I was very proud of my competitiveness and my attitude. Somehow managed to get over the line in the end,” he added.

Draper became the first player to beat Alcaraz in Indian Wells since Rafael Nadal in 2022. He denied the Spaniard a third consecutive title in California and halted his 16-match win streak at the event.

The 23-year-old is also the first Brit to enter the finals in Indian Wells since Cameron Norrie in 2021. The latter went on to win the title that year by defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets.

Draper has been awarded a place in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings after his recent win. He'll become the fifth British player to be a part of the ATP top 10 since they officially began in 1973.

Jack Draper will take on Holger Rune in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells

Jack Draper plays a forehand in the BNP Paribas Open - Source: Getty

Jack Draper will take on Holger Rune in the final of the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday. Rune leads the head-to-head against the Brit 1-0 and defeated him in the Cincinnati Open last year.

While Draper edged past Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal, Rune outfoxed the fifth seed Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-4. The Dane will also enter his maiden final in Indian Wells this year.

Both players have the opportunity to win their first title of the season in Indian Wells. While Draper is still chasing his first title at the Masters 1000 level, Rune clinched the Paris Masters in 2022.

The BNP Paribas Open final will take place on Sunday during the afternoon session, at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time.