Kate praises tennis star Jack Draper’s ‘fantastic performance’ in career high

The Princess of Wales has congratulated Jack Draper on the biggest win of his tennis career and praised his “fantastic performance”.

Kate, patron of the Lawn Tennis Association, tennis’s governing body, paid tribute to the British number one on social media after he was crowned Indian Wells champion.

The future queen said in her post on X, which was signed off with her initial C: “Congratulations, Jack. A Fantastic performance. Well Done. C”

The message also featured applause and trophy emojis.

Kate is a keen tennis fan and an accomplished player who regularly attends the Wimbledon Championships in her role as LTA patron.

Draper, 23, defeated Dane Holger Rune in straight sets to be crowned Indian Wells champion and win his first ATP Masters 1000 title in the tournament held in California.

He powered past Rune 6-2 6-2 in a final staged in California that lasted just an hour and eight minutes.

A life in tennis seemed inevitable for Draper considering his father Roger was the chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association between 2006 and 2013 and his mother Nicky was an accomplished junior player.

A run to the Wimbledon boys’ final in 2018 showcased his full potential, but his transition on to the professional tour was troubled.

He found it tough to adapt to the grind, while later battling injuries, and he 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.

But victory means Draper, who beat world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the last four, is set to rise to a career-high number seven in the world rankings.

After his win, Draper 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.”