Jack Draper booked his place at an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time after defeating American Ben Shelton in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open.
British No. 1 preceded the career between two of the rising stars of men’s tennis with 6-4, 7-5 success with Shelton, who also appeared to reach the last four of a Masters event for the first time. Draper will next face twice defending champion Carlos Alcaraz after the No. 2 seed winner of the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6 (4) in their quarter-final in Indian Wells on Thursday.
Most drapers are single rest in the first set to take an early lead against the huge hit with Shelton but have to fight after falling behind 0-3 in the second. The 22-year-old American was unusually rugged in its service and paying a heavy price for a pair of late double mistakes, including one at a break point for Draper, when serving 5-5 in the second set.
“I don’t know what to expect right now, honestly,” Draper said. “I want to be able to be with Ben maybe once or twice, but very short skill. I obviously watched much of him, he was an incredible showman [with] Weapons … can hit a winner from anywhere. Obviously the service is huge. He is a great competitor and he is really the same.
“I know coming out here facing him in this court in front of the Americans will be poor right now and it is. Hard to respect him, great credit to him. He will continue to win, continue to have an amazing career.”
Draper now knocked on three Americans in the past with a previous win over former champion Champ Taylor Fritz and Jenson Brooksby in the third spin in his run in Indian Wells. The 23-year-old who reached the semi-finals in the 2024 US Open and would move to the rank of Top 10 for the first time if he could clinch a place in the final.
“It means to me,” Draper said. “This is why I’m playing, why I put all the effort on my team, to play these matches in these courts and especially in a place like this. This is what I’ve been wanting since I was young and here’s now a bit surreal.”
Iga świątek set up a rematch with Mirra Andreeva with united women with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Zheng Qinwen. The defending champion’s success would be more decisive if Zheng didn’t get two games from 5-1 in each set while świątek was better in blustery conditions.
“I certainly feel a lot of confidence,” świątek said. “This is another match I play with how I like. I’m happy with performance and I’m happy to fit the air at the end.”
After the Newsletter Promotion
Świątek has not won a title since the French Open last June and, if he will change that this week, he will have to pass the form of 17-year-old Andreeva. Russian beat świątek on his way to his first WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month, and only two successes from another crown after defeating Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3.
In the event of the men the fifth seed, Daniil Medvedev, jumped for joy after the seizure of a sawdon encountered with French Arthur Fils 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7). The final stages saw the match of the short delayed by the strong wind and then a FILS NOSEBLEED before Medvedev, who had a difficult start to the season, which was —clinched his third point of match when his opponent missed a volley from the top of the net.
Britain’s Olivia Nicholls reached the largest final of her career in double thanks to a 7-5, 6-3 fifth bone win with Hsieh Su-Wei and Zhang Shuai with Slovakian partner Tereza Mihalíková.
