Italian Open: Jack Draper in Rome after short Madrid Open final turnaround

Playing a final in Spain on a Sunday, flying home to see his family and dog and then practising in Italy on a Wednesday points to the type of whirlwind schedule that could become the new normal for Jack Draper.

This is the price of success on the ATP Tour, which the British number one is getting accustomed to.

After playing in the Madrid Open final, Draper was practising at the Italian Open in Rome three days later – although the reasonably close proximity to home meant he still squeezed in a flying visit to spend time with his grandparents, mother Nicky and dog Ozzie.

The new world number five – who became the Indian Wells champion in March and finished runner-up to Casper Ruud in Madrid – was not home for long.

He had a practice session with Russia's Andrey Rublev to get to, as he builds up to his opening match in the Foro Italico on Friday.

"It's becoming normal now for me," Draper told BBC Sport, shortly after arriving on site for the first time.

"These events, they are tough, they are gruelling, they are long. But that's tennis, it is relentless and I feel like mentally I'm adapting to that and I feel good.

"I went home for a day or so, caught up with my grandparents, saw my dog, my mum - just tried to get a bit of normality back because being in the tennis bubble is very consuming."

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