Draper likes it short and sweet as IW title defence begins

Holder Jack Draper will begin the Indian Wells sporting his most streamline look ever as the Brit goes into hardcourt battle wearing a menacingly short hairstyle.

“There is nothing like a buzz cut,” the No. 14 said as he gets serious about his comeback to tennis after eight months away with an arm injury.

“You don’t have to do anything. (I don’t know) what inspired the haircut.

“There are a lot of difficult (injury) moments, and when you come out of that and you start to feel better within yourself  I just fancied a fresh start.

But the British No. 1 added: “Not sure if it’s my best haircut or my best fashion choice, but something different is always good. 

“I think I’ll return to it again, but maybe I’ll let it grow for now.”

With fashion on the side, Draper is concentrating on his tennis. He returned to the courts last month with a Davis Cup win and advanced to the second round last week in Dubai before luckily flying out before the current crisis.

He faces the huge task of defending 1,000 champion’s ranking points from his win a year ago in the final over Holger Rune, also recovering from late 2025 ankle surgery.

“I’m still at the very early stages of coming back,” Draper said as he begins in the second round after a bye against oberto Batista Agut.

“I’ve been out eight months and these guys are out there on the tour playing week in, week out. 

“But do I believe that my tennis, and my practice, and everything is going really well and my body feels good? Absolutely.

“I’m just looking forward to getting back out there and getting the momentum back in my tennis. There’s no reason why I can’t go all the way.”

During his 2025 run to glory, Draper defeated top-five players in Taylor Fritz and world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz to book the final at the Tennis Garden in the Californian desert.

Main photo:- Jack Draper displays his “Buzz cut” at Indian Wells press conference – by ATPTour.com