Support truly
independent journalism
Jack Draper is “incredibly proud” of reaching his first career grand slam quarter-final at the US Open – a feat pulled off with Vogue editor Anna Wintour watching in his box.
The 22-year-old destroyed Czech Tomas Machac in the fourth round to become the first British male quarter-finalist in New York since Andy Murray in 2016.
“To follow in Andy’s footsteps and make the quarter-finals here since he did it in 2016, it’s a big achievement for me,” he said after a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 win. “I’m really, really proud of that achievement and hopefully I can do more.
“Obviously it was a good match to come through. I lost in the round of 16 last year, so it’s amazing to come through. I thought it was a good match from my side. I did what I needed to do. I competed well. My level was pretty solid throughout.”
While it is Murray’s record he is playing against, it is Emma Raducanu whose story he could possibly emulate.
The British teenager famously flew under the radar to win the tournament in 2021 without dropping a set, something Draper has also managed in his first four matches. That has been achieved in part by his impressive serve.
“I think I’m doing good things behind the serve,” Draper said. “I think I’m finding first serves when I need to find them. I’ve saved a lot of break points with good serves and good plays. I think I still have got a lot of work to go on my serve as well. I think my serve is a weapon.
“Whenever I look at the stats, I think I see that my first serve when it goes in is really high percentage, but I still feel like I’m serving not amazingly well. So it’s really positive to know that I’m holding serve a lot, and I still feel like there’s room for improvement.”
Draper was supported throughout by Vogue editor Wintour. While she might not have approved of his fuchsia pink shirt, she will have been impressed by his dominant display.
He said of his attire: “I think it’s cool to be different. Everyone has their own style. Each of the tennis players, they play with a different hand. They wear different clothes. They have different techniques.
“I think it’s important to also not only show your tennis style but your style in general.”
