Britain has a new rising star of men’s tennis. Jack Draper may be the new British No1 and ranked inside the world’s top 30, but is no household name. That looks likely to change with his Olympics debut in Paris.
“I remember watching Andy (Murray) play (Roger) Federer in 2012,” Draper said this week ahead of his first taste of the Games. “It was the year he lost in Wimbledon against Federer and then we were on Centre Court a month later watching him win in the final.
“I remember him hitting this massive serve and chalk came up when he won. It was a legendary moment and I think he’ll admit it himself that kind of set him up for winning those Grand Slams and going on to become No1 and everything else.
“I’m so excited. Obviously Wimbledon is like the pinnacle for the tennis players - even though the tennis season is long and there are many tournaments after Wimbledon, you’re still sometimes in a lull afterwards because you finish that big event. It’s nice to come off Wimbledon and have something that’s hugely exciting in front of you in the Olympics”
“I’ve never been before so I don’t know what to expect or what’s going to happen but I’m looking forward to that occasion and being back in a team environment like Davis Cup and enjoying it.”
Standing at a towering 6ft 4ins tall, Draper is a bright talent with a personality to match. The Surrey-born left-handed player boasts an aggressive and entertaining style, and has been a hotly-anticipated homegrown prospect since his junior days - making the boy’s singles final at SW19 back in 2018 before turning professional in the same year.
His roots are deep set in tennis. Roger, his father, was chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and his mother, Nicky, is a professional coach and former junior champion. Ben, his older brother, was a former pro who now represents Jack as his agent. Firmly keeping it in the family.
Draper could be seen hanging around tennis courts before he picked up a racket, watching his older brother play whilst his mum coached. He progressed to hit a ball against a wall and was soon trying to replicate Rafael Nadal’s fierce lefty serve and helicopter whipping forehand.
Dunlop have been at the heart of Draper’s tennis journey and the FX500 his racket of choice for some years, albeit custom-built to suit his style. It’s no surprise his self-chosen nickname on the Ultimate Tennis Showdown tour is ‘The Power’. He even has a lightning bolt tattoo on his left upper arm to boot.
His true inspiration is Andy Murray, and the pair have developed a strong friendship. On the same morning that Murray announced he would not be competing in the men’s singles at Wimbledon, the former world No1 was quick to tell everyone to throw their support behind Draper.
He said: “I’ve known Jack for a long time – he grew up near where I live. We’ve played together in the Davis Cup and I see him on the Tour. He’s a really exciting player to watch and I think he’s got a big future.
“It was a great win for him at Queen’s against Carlos Alcaraz. Beating the defending Wimbledon champion in the way that he did, showing he can mix it up with the very best of them. It came off the back of him winning in Stuttgart and that obviously gave him a lot of confidence.”
Murray continued to add: “Jack’s definitely got the ability to go right to the top of the game.”
Footage emerged last year on social media of Draper celebrating a Davis Cup victory over France by singing The Proclaimers’ ‘500 Miles’ while wearing a bucket hat and chugging a beer, next to a less-than-impressed Murray tasked as designated driver.
Draper and Murray on their way home. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/kAirv6rmuU
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 18, 2023
However, it hasn’t all been fun and games. Injuries along the way took their toll on the young gun from Sutton, notably missing most of the clay court swing and the grass court season in 2023.
Every setback is soon followed by a step forward. Draper has already proved himself against top opposition with victories over Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe, plus a maiden ATP title this year in Stuttgart. This certainly stands him in good stead to become the nation’s new favourite for the future.
“I’m a big guy. I can serve big. I can hit big shots,” he told Bagel Magazine. “I can be powerful and hit through players, but naturally I’ve got the scrap of that fighter in me. If I can stay injury-free and keep competing weekly, there’s no reason why I can’t keep on getting really good wins. I’m really excited for the coming year.”
He added: “This is my first proper full year on tour, without hopefully being injured. Coming from the grass it’s a bit of an adjustment and obviously after we go onto the hard courts but I think it’s really good for me to learn to adapt to different surfaces.
"Clay is a surface I want to keep improving on and have the ability to play well and win big tournaments on.”
