Jack Draper breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday as he resisted a late surge from Karen Khachanov to claim the Erste Bank Open title.
The British player remained resolute, winning 6-4, 7-5 to capture his second ATP Tour title. Despite being down 0-4 in the second set, Khachanov launched a comeback with five straight games, turning the momentum in his favor. Nonetheless, Draper regained composure to secure the most significant title of his career.
Draper’s victory, which lasted one hour and 35 minutes, marked him as the first debutant to win the tournament since his compatriot Andy Murray in 2014. Following a remarkable season, the 22-year-old is set to reach a career-high No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday.
Before the final, Khachanov boasted an unblemished 4-0 record in indoor tour-level finals. The 28-year-old was riding an eight-match win streak after claiming his seventh ATP Tour title the previous week in Almaty, yet he could not push the match to a deciding set.
By evening their Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2, Draper joined the ranks as only the fourth British man to win an ATP 500 title.
Draper dominated with his serve in the first set, winning 95 percent (18/19) of the points on his first serve, as per Infosys ATP Stats. The second set saw a dramatic shift as Khachanov played some of his best tennis, but ultimately, it was Draper who maintained composure to finish victorious.
