At a critical moment where the match was tied at one set each, and the game stood at 15-all, umpire Mohamed Lahyani made a crucial error. He mistakenly ruled that the ball had bounced twice before Draper managed to reach a drop shot.
Thanks to the introduction of video technology at Indian Wells, players now have the option to challenge such calls. Draper, quick on his feet, requested an immediate replay. His hunch proved correct, and his challenge was upheld, leading Lahyani to reverse his decision.
This gave Draper the upper hand with a 15-30 lead. Riding this new wave of momentum, he secured a break that ultimately became the game’s turning point.
Reflecting on the situation, Draper expressed gratitude for the video reviews. He mentioned that these tools, despite not being available at all ATP events, are beneficial and enhance the integrity of tennis. Meanwhile, Alcaraz, maintaining his composure, stated that he was unaffected by the episode.
Yet, it seemed luck was not on his side, as his performance dipped afterward, cutting short his quest for a third consecutive Indian Wells title.
With this victory, left-handed Draper advanced to play against Denmark’s Holger Rune in the Masters 1,000 event final in California on Sunday.
Rune, ranked 13th, made his way to the fourth Masters final of his career with a decisive 7-5, 6-4 win against the Russian fifth seed, Daniil Medvedev.
