Alcaraz warns: "Draper will be one of the toughest rivals in the future"

Many connections must come together in the environment of Carlos Alcaraz for him to always perform so well at the Indian Wells Masters 1000. It could be the court conditions, the time of the season, the magic of the place, or simply that he has no rival when he manages to unleash his full potential. The fact is that in 2025, he has also made it to the semifinals and in a very convincing way. Tomorrow, he will face Jack Draper in a match that will determine a spot to compete for the title, a showdown between two men in excellent form. With the confidence they share and how well they know each other, the Spaniard mentioned some key strengths of the British player, someone who already knows what it's like to defeat him.

Victory over Cerúndolo

"I think today the match was a bit tougher than yesterday's; there was more wind and it was colder, so the conditions were really challenging. I don't think I played as well as yesterday, but that's precisely what tennis is about - not having a great day every day, so you can only play with the best you have that day. Today was a survival exercise, saving many break points and opportunities in his favor, which makes me very happy. I would say I played a decent match, a good match in these conditions."

Many net approaches

"I didn't feel as good as on other days from the baseline, so I had to find another way to attack the points. As I said before, when you're not feeling at your best, you have to find other solutions, other ways to hurt your opponent. Today, I think I managed to find that way to handle the wind and conditions better, which is why I approached the net a lot, because I felt much better up there than from the back."

Draper in the semifinals

"He has a lot of rhythm and great shots; I believe his style of play adapts quite well to these conditions. His forehand with topspin bounces a lot, plus he has a great serve. In the times I've played against him, I think he got injured in two of them, especially the last one in Australia, so I'm excited to face him again. It seems that right now he's in very good shape, he's ambitious, he has always been. That makes him a tough opponent; I'm sure he will be one of the toughest rivals on the circuit in the future or next year. I'm very happy to share these moments with him; I think it will be a great, enjoyable match to watch."

What happened with Draper in the preseason?

"Few players had spoken with Juan Carlos (Ferrero) in the preseason to come to the Academy or wherever we were training, but Jack was one of them. I'm very happy that many players talked to him to come to Spain to practice with me; it's a good way to do the preseason. With Jack, it didn't work out in the end because of his injury, but I was really looking forward to training with him during that week and a half. He's a very nice guy off the court, which makes it even easier to share those practice moments. He has a high level; he's a truly professional player, off the court he always does the right things, so it's always a pleasure to train with him."

His connection with Indian Wells

"I have a great team behind me, and I'm lucky to bring my family with me to tournaments, although I think tennis remains a very lonely sport. Sometimes, when you feel calm in the place you're heading to, it's something great. That's exactly the feeling I get here; I feel peaceful, everything is serene, I feel great with the people around me. That's what makes Indian Wells a beautiful place for me; perhaps that's why I always showcase my best tennis here."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz avisa: “Draper será uno de los rivales más duros en el futuro”