Jack Draper: How the British number one transformed his career

On By Pranco

At the Challenger event in Bergamo last October, Draper had just crawled back into the world’s top 100 – a key marker on the professional tours and the gateway to direct entry into the Grand Slam events.

He complained about the ‘brutal’ nature of a sport in which he had gone on to fulfill his potential, only to suffer another setback with a shoulder injury.

“I was 40 in the world, I got injured and my ranking completely dropped. I was playing Challengers again and I felt angry,” Draper said.

“But I knew that if I could get my mind and body in a good place, my tennis would be good enough to compete with the best players in the world.”

This year he demonstrated that by:

  • winning a first ATP Tour title – a 250 event in Stuttgart

  • reaching a first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open

  • cracking the top 20 of the ATP world rankings

  • he became only the fourth British man since 2009 to win an ATP 500 title

“It’s been a long year with a lot of ups and downs,” Draper said.

“But winning my first title, then the US Open, has contributed enormously to my belief that I belong.

“It’s been a snowball effect since then.”