Jack Draper is Britain’s new No. 1 after rising above Cameron Norrie in the rankings, but the 22-year-old bright tennis prospects from Sutton and can be a Grand Slam champion?
After missing all of last year’s grass-court swing due to injury, Draper’s preparations for this year’s Wimbledon saw him claim his first ATP Tour title by defeating Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the Stuttgart Open final on Sunday.
The youngster, who has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, has now overtaken Norrie for the UK No 1 ranking.
Where it all began
Draper began playing at the local Sutton Tennis & Squash club, competing against his younger brother under the tutelage of his mother and tennis coach, Nicky.
As a coach at the club, his mother took Jack to his first training session at the age of six.
Draper rose to No. 7 in the ITF world junior rankings, helped by a runner-up finish at the 2018 Wimbledon men’s singles event.
Draper went up
The left-hander is one of the brightest prospects in English tennis – as reflected in his 223-place rise in the ATP rankings in 2022, which makes him end the year in the top 50.
Draper burst onto the scene with stunning victories over Jannik Sinner and Alexander Bublik at Queen’s Club in 2021 and became the youngest Brit to win three ATP Challenger titles in two months, the first Brit to qualify for the Next Gen Finals and back that feat up. strong performances at Eastbourne, the Canadian Masters and the US Open.
He introduced himself to the mainstream when he took a set from Novak Djokovic in the opening match of Wimbledon in 2022 at the age of 19.
Draper reached two ATP Tour finals before his success in Stuttgart on Sunday. He lost to Adrian Mannarino in Sofia in November 2023 and then reached the final again in Adelaide in early 2024, losing to Jiri Lehecka in three sets.
Before that, Draper was at his best before reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final at Eastbourne in 2022 as a wildcard.
Who did Draper train?
LTA National Coach James Trotman at the National Tennis Centre, although he recently tested a potential second coach when he hired Wayne Ferreira to start his career.
Trotman is a former player himself, winning the 1995 Wimbledon Championship men’s doubles with Martin Lee and the 1997 Australian Open men’s doubles with David Sherwood.
Draper at the 2023 US Open
After missing Wimbledon due to injury, Draper returned to the tour with a strong showing at the US Open.
England beat Radu Albot, Hubert Hurkacz and American Michael Mmoh to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows – his best performance at a Grand Slam event to date.
Draper’s motivation
“I just like to win. Honestly, I like to work and then get the reward from it. I know it’s not always like that, but at the same time I like how hard it is. I like to compete and I like to practice and get better.”
Injuries and illnesses
Draper’s progress has been halted by a number of physical problems, but after working on his fitness and losing 3kg, he is now seeking psychological help to help with the anxiety that hinders his physical performance.
“I always felt like a physical problem, like many have had for me mentally as well, sort of stress, dealing with my emotions,” said Draper.
“Obviously as I’ve improved physically I can probably cope better, but it’s definitely a very important area.
“I’ve never felt tension in my tennis. It’s not a problem. It’s like … if you have anxiety when you play, obviously there’s a lot going on. It’s hot. There’s a lot of things. There’s no way out of the court. You have to suffer really. to win points, and you have to work hard.
“Every player feels, and every player has a different way, whether someone is too tight on the forehand, and can’t hit the forehand. Maybe the movement starts a little bit forward.
“For me, it’s like my breathing starts to be very difficult, and I can’t get oxygen in me. That’s obviously a difficult point when you’re playing. You’re not just playing people, you’re almost competing with yourself because you’re not 100 percent visible.”
Ready to lean on the idol
Draper says he is prepared to “rely on” Andy Murray a lot after the Scotsman’s career.
Murray is at the end of an incredible career, having confirmed earlier this year that he will not be able to play in the summer.
“It’s going to be easier to tap them when they’re done,” Draper said.
“As a tennis player, you don’t have time to think about anything but yourself. You always think about what you can do better.
“When he stops, I’ll contact him more, get his opinion on a few things, ask him what he’s tried and if it’s worked for him.
“I’ll definitely be depending on Andy a lot and I’m sure he’ll help me because he’s always supported me.”
Tomorrow?
Draper has shown he has a knack for challenges at the top of his game and admits he has a responsibility to pick up the baton.
“I want to achieve a lot in sport – it’s not all about winning, it’s about inspiring kids to play and making people pick up a racket and understand that tennis is not just played on Center Court at Wimbledon,” she said.
“It can be amazing for a lot of people in different ways.”
What’s next for Sky Sports Tennis?
In front of the third Grand Slam 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports when they compete in the grass season.
- Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
- Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
- Mallorca Championship (ATP 250) – June 23-29
- Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
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