Draper falls at final hurdle as Ruud lands Madrid title

Jack Draper's excellent breakthrough run on the clay courts of Madrid was halted at the final hurdle in a bruising, physical tussle against the 14th seed Casper Ruud, who brilliantly held his nerve to win his first Masters 1000 title.

- Tumaini Carayol

A two-time French Open finalist, Ruud was competing in the seventh significant final of his career. He had lost all six of those previous matches, including both those Paris finals in 2022 and 2023, the 2022 US Open final and the ATP finals. Finally, he has clinched the first significant title of his career.

After an incredible two weeks in the Spanish capital, this will be a painful defeat for Draper to digest after he led 5-3 in the opening set before conceding four consecutive games. He recovered impressively, fighting brilliantly to force a final set but he was outlasted by one of the best clay-court tennis players in the world. Still, Draper solidified his status as among the very top contenders in men's tennis on every single surface and at all levels.