Draper does not want to head into French Open undercooked

Jack Draper has expressed his concern about heading into the French Open without adequate match practice, warning that he does not want to enter Roland Garros 'undercooked'. The British number one has struggled on clay this season, with early exits raising questions about his preparation for the second Grand Slam of the year.

Draper, who has risen to become Britain's top-ranked player, suffered another disappointing clay-court defeat in Madrid this week. The 23-year-old has found the transition from hard courts to clay challenging, despite his success on faster surfaces. His early exit means he will have limited tournament play heading into Paris.

The left-hander's breakthrough season on the ATP Tour has come predominantly on hard courts, where his powerful serve and aggressive baseline game have flourished. However, the slower clay courts have exposed technical aspects of his game that require refinement, particularly his sliding and movement around the court.

Speaking after his Madrid defeat, Draper acknowledged the need for a strategic approach to his clay-court development. 'I don't want to go into the French Open undercooked,' he said. 'I need to find the right balance between training and competing. The clay is a different challenge, and I need to be ready.'

His fitness team will assess options for additional match practice before the French Open begins on May 25. With Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz also in the draw, Draper faces a stern test if he hopes to make a deep run at Roland Garros. The British camp is reportedly exploring wildcard options or smaller clay-court events to give him more competitive minutes.