The Princess of Wales has congratulated Jack Draper on his “fantastic performance” after he was crowned Indian Wells champion.
Draper, 23, secured the biggest win of his tennis career so far when he beat Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-2 6-2 in California.
Kate, patron of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and a regular visitor to the Wimbledon championships, paid tribute to the 23-year-old British number one in a post on X.
She wrote: “Congratulations, Jack. A Fantastic performance. Well Done. C”
The message also featured applause and trophy emojis.
Kate’s message came as she visited Wellington Barracks in London on Monday to meet families of Irish Guards soldiers as part of their St Patrick’s Day parade.
Draper’s victory saw him collect his first ATP Masters 1000 and means he is set to rise to a career-high number seven in the world rankings.
After his win, Draper, who beat world number three Carlos Alcaraz in the last four, said: “It’s definitely a big moment for me, getting inside the top 10 and to win my first Masters title just adds to my inner belief and confidence.”
A life in tennis seemed inevitable for Draper.
His father Roger was the chief executive of the LTA between 2006 and 2013 and his mother Nicky was an accomplished junior player.
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A run to the Wimbledon boys’ final in 2018 showcased his full potential, but he found the transition to the professional tour a challenge and previously admitted he thought about quitting.
“It’s really difficult. It’s not the sort of strawberries and cream of Wimbledon that I expected,” he has said about life on the tour.
