Draper can now switch attention to grandest prizes

After victory at Indian Wells, next step for the new world No 7 must be to challenge at the major tournaments

- Tumaini Carayol

In the joyful aftermath of his triumph in Vienna late last year, the deep satisfaction Jack Draper felt from his rapid progress prompted him to look ahead. His ultimate objective was clear. He saw himself in the mix at the very top of the game, chasing down players such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and believed he was not so far from doing so.

After a series of sublime performances over the past 10 days secured for Draper his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, the 23-year-old is now even closer. Not only has he reached No 7 in the ATP rankings by defeating four top-15 opponents in succession, he has positioned himself as a top contender for years to come. If Draper can keep significant injuries at bay, there is no reason why he cannot compete for and potentially win grand slam titles.

"I'm believing more and more that I can compete consistently against top players in the world," Draper said after his win in a press conference via video link. "It's five sets [at grand slam tournaments], it's a little bit of a change, but I feel like I belong completely.

"There's a lot of things that can still improve in my game. I feel like a lot of players maybe, they kind of maxed out in some ways. I feel like I've still got a lot to work on and a lot to uncover with my tennis."