British number one defeats Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets to reach his first clay-court ATP final.
Jack Draper became the first Englishman to reach the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in a gripping semi-final on Friday. The British number one will now face Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final, marking another breakthrough in the 23-year-old’s rising career.
Draper, already a US Open semi-finalist and Indian Wells champion this year, maintained his flawless run in Madrid, not dropping a single set en route to the final. But it wasn’t smooth sailing. Musetti, a formidable opponent on clay, pushed the Brit hard, particularly in a tense second set tie-break that ultimately decided the match.
“It felt like a key moment every point,” Draper told Sky Sports. “I’ve played Lorenzo since juniors and it’s always tough. But he’s really something else on clay.”
The Italian drew early cheers from the Madrid crowd after a sublime drop shot in the fifth game of the second set, but Draper remained unshaken. Despite being broken early in the first set, he responded with two of his own and dictated play with his heavy forehand, constantly forcing Musetti into awkward positions.
Their professional rivalry has been remarkably one-sided—Draper has now beaten Musetti in all four of their senior-level meetings. The psychological edge may have influenced the early stages, with Musetti dropping his opening service game under pressure.
The second set was a far tighter affair. With neither player able to find a breakthrough, it headed into a tie-break where Draper seized the initiative with a crucial mini-break at 3-2 and sealed the win with a clean cross-court backhand winner.
This marks Draper’s third ATP final in 2025 and his first ever on clay, a surface many doubted would suit his aggressive, baseline-driven style. He now stands one match away from a second title this season, having beaten Holger Rune in Indian Wells.
His opponent on Sunday, Casper Ruud, overcame Francisco Cerundolo 6-4 7-5 in the other semi-final, though the Norwegian battled through with a rib injury that flared up during the warm-up. “I wasn’t sure I’d finish the match,” Ruud admitted afterwards. “I felt it on almost every shot, especially on the serve.”
Despite being in clear discomfort, Ruud displayed grit, saving 15 of 18 break points and digging deep in crucial moments. He heads into the final seeking his 12th clay title and 18th final on the surface—second only to Novak Djokovic among active players.
Ruud’s clay-court pedigree is not lost on Draper. “Casper is a two-time Roland Garros finalist and very accustomed to the clay,” he said. “He’s always tough to beat, but I’m ready for it.”
This will be the first professional meeting between Draper and Ruud, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Should Draper win, not only will he claim a prestigious Masters 1000 crown, but he’s also set to break into the ATP top five for the first time—an extraordinary rise for a player who just two years ago was battling injury setbacks and working his way through the Challenger circuit.
Now on the cusp of making British tennis history, Draper has already achieved what no Englishman before him has managed in Madrid. Only Scotland’s Andy Murray, a three-time finalist and two-time champion in the Spanish capital, has gone further among Brits.
On Sunday, Draper has a shot at cementing himself among the elite. Madrid awaits a final worthy of the clay season’s momentum—and Draper, with power and poise, looks ready for the moment.
