Jack Draper feels his “brutal” loss to Casper Ruud in the Madrid Open final will improve him as a player with his opponent saying the “sky is the limit” for the British No 1.

Draper was beaten in three sets by Ruud in Spain as his hopes of a second Masters 1000 title in as many months – after Indian Wells in March – were dashed with a 7-5 3-6 6-4 reverse.

The 23-year-old – who has replaced Novak Djokovic as world No 5 – was 5-3 up in the first set before losing four games in a row but ensured a decider by taking the second set.

A gruelling third went Ruud’s way as the Norwegian secured a maiden Masters 1000 trophy of his career and kept Draper waiting for a first ATP-level tournament win on clay.

Draper, who had never previously been beyond the quarter-finals of an event on the surface, said he thought Ruud was “braver in the key moments” but added: “This loss hurts.

“This sport is brutal, but I think this loss is going to make me better.”

The final was Draper’s third of the year, with the left-hander beaten by Andrey Rublev in Qatar in February before downing Holger Rune at Indian Wells to win a tournament in which he also knocked out four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Draper now has three ATP Tour titles – his Indian Wells triumph following victories in Stuttgart and Vienna last year – and he came close to a fourth in Madrid.

He did not lose a set in five matches before facing Ruud, with his forehand a particularly potent weapon throughout the week.

‘Draper a threat on any surface – there are no holes in his game’

Ruud was complimentary about his opponent while speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, saying: “If you looked at his career before Madrid his biggest results have been hard court or grass but he has shown he understands clay and can be a threat on the surface.

“He was not bad before but he has really taken a big step.

“He was able to answer my top-spin forehand and he has a heavy forehand himself, plus he serves great and moves great. There are no holes in his game

“Results like this will make you believe more and give you confidence. The sky is the limit and I have beaten him once before he gets better!”

Draper and Ruud will now play in next week’s Italian Open in Rome, a tournament which will see the return of world No 1 Jannik Sinner following the end of his three-month ban.

An out-of-form Djokovic has withdrawn from that event, while Alcaraz will make a late call on his inclusion as he recovers from a muscle injury that ruled him out of Madrid.

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