\n<\/p>\n
This was illustrated during Draper’s semi-final against Lorenzo Musetti in Madrid. <\/p>\n
The Briton seemed to be fading in the second set and battled to hang on to his serve – then found another gear in a tie-break to increase his intensity and secure victory.<\/p>\n
Clay is seen as the most physically demanding surface because its slower speed leads to longer points and more brutal contests.<\/p>\n
It’s not the most natural surface for Draper. He has worked hard on his movement and the ability to slide across the dirt.<\/p>\n
Being more mobile means he can get in the right positions to execute his most potent weapons.<\/p>\n
Draper’s serve – both in terms of power and variety – allows him to start points strongly, but it was his forehand that really caught the eye in Madrid.<\/p>\n
The topspin and speed wowed fans at the Caja Magica, even drawing a few comparisons to Rafael Nadal – the recently retired ‘King of Clay’ who won a record 14 French Open titles.<\/p>\n
Nobody is suggested Draper will have that level of success, of course, but like Nadal he has been using the pace and bounce of his forehand to trouble opponents.<\/p>\n
“My forehand’s come into own on all surfaces but this year on the clay it’s really doing a lot of damage,” said Draper.<\/p>\n
“I’m trying to base my game around that and my serve, and getting more and more efficient.”<\/p>\n
In Madrid, Draper also found the right blend between defence and attack, while using the drop shot at the right time was also an effective tool.<\/p>\n
Despite all the positive signs, it is telling that Draper – like all great players who harbour ambitions of winning Grand Slam titles – has an insatiable appetite for further improvement.<\/p>\n
In his post-final news conference in Madrid, he highlighted his serve, net play and physicality as the areas he needed to particularly work on.<\/p>\n
“I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Draper said.<\/p>\n
“There are plenty of things that are going to keep on improving and I’m going to keep on getting better and better. I believe that.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n