Jack Draper explains why he felt so ‘angry’ after what happened to him in 2023

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Jack Draper will be feeling on top of the world at this moment in time after winning his maiden ATP 500 tournament.

Jannik Sinner messaged Draper after his Vienna Open victory, where he beat Karen Khachanov in their final clash.

Draper has climbed to 15th in the ATP rankings following his success in the Austrian capital, with Khachanov rising to 21st.

The Briton overcame his opponent in one hour and 35 minutes for his second tour-level title, having won the Stuttgart Open earlier this year.

Draper was just inside the world top 100 at this stage in 2023, with the youngster having been battling with a shoulder injury.

Why Vienna Open champion Jack Draper was ‘so angry’ last year

The British number one had recently been battling illness and an abdomen injury, but he overcame those issues in superb fashion at the Vienna Open.

And as quoted by Sky Sports, he has now looked back on his rapid rise, with Draper saying: “I knew coming here I was on good form but I wasn’t too sure how my body was.

READ MORE: What Jack Draper’s camp said about his injury after he withdrew from the Shanghai Masters

“The nature of tennis is brutal because [last year] I was 40 in the world and I got injured for a couple of months and my ranking completely dropped. I was back playing Challengers and I felt angry, I wasn’t happy with where I was at. I was working hard but things just weren’t clicking for me.

“I knew if I could just get my body and mind in a good place then my tennis is good enough to play these best players in the world and by having these types of results I’ve got this inner belief now.”

Can Jack Draper rise further up the rankings at the Paris Masters?

Draper is rightfully full of confidence after his success in Austria, where he also beat the likes of Lorenzo Musetti and Tomas Machac.

Up next for the 22-year-old is the Paris Masters, where the likes of star players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will be eyeing the trophy.

Draper begins his tournament with a tricky meeting against Jiri Lehecka, with very little time between his Vienna Open title and his Paris opener.

READ MORE: Karen Khachanov says he felt like he was ‘playing the PlayStation’ during his Vienna Open final with Jack Draper

Seeded stars Sinner and Alcaraz meanwhile have received byes into the second round, where Draper will meet Taylor Fritz if he makes it that far.

Both Draper and Fritz shone brightly at last month’s US Open, with the pair losing to world number one Sinner in the semi-finals and final respectively.