Draper holds off Brooksby to reach last 16 in Indian Wells

Thirteenth seed Jack Draper recovered from a slow start to beat American Jenson Brooksby 7-5, 6-4 for a place in the last 16 of the Indian Wells Masters on Monday.

The Briton trailed 4-1 in the opening set before finding his game and after sneaking the set he broke in the ninth game of the second set to clinch victory.

After the match, he credited his physical development this year for the victory:

“In Australia (where he won three five-set matches to make the fourth round), I wasn’t ready to play there at all,” he said. “Coming through those really long matches was something I needed for my confidence.

“I wasn’t too sure how much I could push my body past that three-and-a-half hour, four-hour mark. To win back to back-to-back five-set matches, not many people have done that. That gives me confidence in my mind and body. That was kind of the last piece of the puzzle.”

Draper, ranked No 14, will play the winner of the match between Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, the No 30 seed, and American Taylor Fritz, the No 3 seed, next.

In the previous round of the Indian Wells Tennis Masters, Jack Draper won against Brazilian wildcard Joao Fonseca (6-4, 6-0).

Jenson Brooksby edged out Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi (1-6, 7-5, 7-5) and beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 17 seed (6-4, 6-2) earlier in the tournament.

Indian Wells Masters 1000, other third-round results (Indian Wells Tennis Garden, hard, USD 13.042.410, most recent results first):

• Grigor Dimitrov vs. Gael Monfils
• Denis Shapovalov vs. Carlos Alcaraz
• Karen Khachanov vs. Ben Shelton
• Matteo Arnaldi vs. Brandon Nakashima
• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Alex De Minaur
• Alejandro Tabilo vs. Taylor Fritz
• Francisco Cerundolo (25) beat Botic van de Zandschulp (LL): 6-3, 6-4
• Yosuke Watanuki (Q) beat Frances Tiafoe (16): 6-4, 7-6 (6)
• Arthur Fils (20) beat Lorenzo Musetti (15): 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3
• Holger Rune (12) beat Ugo Humbert (18): 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
• Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Alex Michelsen (31): 2-0 ret.
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) beat Matteo Berrettini (28): 6-3, 6-3
• Marcos Giron beat Alexei Popyrin (26): 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
• Tommy Paul (10) beat Cameron Norrie: 6-3, 7-5
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (29): 7-6 (3), 6-3