Jack Draper has been predicted to make millions after becoming the first British man since Andy Murray in 2012 to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The 22-year-old, who was born in Sutton, south London, and grew up in nearby Ashtead, Surrey, defeated Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 last night to reach his first grand slam semi-final.
He is yet to drop a set during his fairytale run in New York and will next play world No1 Jannik Sinner on Friday for a place in the final.
Draper said afterwards: “It’s amazing, honestly. To be out here in my first match on the biggest court in the world, honestly it’s a dream come true for me. Thank you for all the support, it means the world.”
His run to the semi-finals has already guaranteed him a cash windfall of $1 million (£760,000) and he will collect prize money of $1.8 million (£1.37m) if he makes it to the final — or $3.6 million (£2.74m) should he win.
Draper already has lucrative sponsorship deals with Nike, Dunlop and Vodafone, but experts said he was now on track to make millions more thanks to his efforts at Flushing Meadows.
His exploits have drawn comparisons with fellow Briton Emma Raducanu, who stunned the sporting world by winning the women’s US Open as a teenager in 2021, ending Britain’s 44-year wait for a female grand slam champion. However, she has struggled for form since then, leading to suggestions that sponsors could now line up Draper.
According to Tennis365 he “could be viewed as an attractive new player to work with”.
Murray’s retirement has also opened up further opportunities, with him saying: “Jack has definitely got the ability to go right to the top of the game. He is a really exciting player to watch and I think he’s got a big future.”
Analysts say he has the potential to appeal to markets beyond the sporting world and he has already featured in photo shoots for Tatler and Vogue. Tatler described him as having a “jawline sharper than a Stanley knife, while he told Vogue: “I quite enjoy being in front of the camera, if I’m looking good, that is.”
His father Roger is a former chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association, while his mother Nicky is a former junior British tennis champion. Draper reached the final of the juniors at Wimbledon in 2018 but missed large chunks of last season with injuries as he struggled to adapt to life on tour.
“This is not an overnight thing for me,” he said after his win against De Minaur — the boyfriend of British female No1 Katie Boulter. “I still have some levels to go if I get pushed.”
The music fan also enjoyed success earlier this week, managing to get Oasis tickets for the band’s comeback tour next year.
