With irritating playing style
Tennis model Jack Draper turns US Open on its head
05.09.2024, 16:08
Because one of his father’s plans didn’t work out, the unusual character Jack Draper is Britain’s great tennis hope. At the US Open, he is a surprise guest in the semifinals against top favorite Jannik Sinner. But Draper has actually had a tough time.
Everything would have been very different if Roger Draper had been successful back then. Great Britain would have become a world power in tennis, dominating the four Grand Slams over the past 13 years – with a total of 27 titles. But Andy Murray only won three. The other 24 were won by a certain Novak Djokovic. Which is why the British are now pinning their hopes on Roger Draper’s son, Jack Draper.
But Roger Draper’s plan showed foresight. From 2006 to 2013, the father of Jack, who had just surprisingly reached the semi-finals of the US Open, was the head of the LTA, the British Tennis Association, and a teenager from Serbia had aroused his interest. Yes, Djokovic confirmed, “there was an offer for me and my father to get British citizenship. But my parents didn’t want to go to England.”
“An honor to be in this position”
Now Jack Draper has made it further than any other Brit in twelve years, or more precisely since 2012, when Andy Murray won the US Open. The 22-year-old Englishman is in the semifinals in New York, and his opponent is the last remaining top ten player in the field: Jannik Sinner. The South Tyrolean defeated Daniil Medvedev 6:2, 1:6, 6:1, 6:4 in the quarterfinals. Draper again did not drop a set in his 6:3, 7:5, 6:2 win against Alex de Minaur from Australia.
Draper is undoubtedly the biggest surprise guest in a semifinal in which only the world number one Sinner was expected. The second duel will be between the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, who knocked Alexander Zverev out of the tournament. “It’s an honour to be in this position,” says Draper, “that’s also the reason why I worked so hard. For me, this didn’t happen overnight.”
“There were times when I considered quitting”
Draper is not only a hard worker, but also a versatile individual. This begins with the fact that he is right-handed – but hits his forehand with his left hand, and thus his backhand is a kind of two-handed forehand. When he is not playing tennis, Draper works as a model. He is represented by the same agency as Heidi Klum and Gisele Bündchen and recently appeared in British “Vogue”.
Draper has indeed had a tough time. Last season he was plagued by injury concerns and “yes, there were times when I considered quitting.” But last year was also “a turning point” for him. Draper says he found it very “frustrating” to see “young players” like Sinner or “like Alcaraz playing against Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, winning all these great tournaments.”
Draper therefore decided: “I have to do more” to emulate Sinner or Alcaraz. His first success: victory at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart in June. From Monday, the Londoner will also be at least number 20 in the world. His opponent in the semi-finals describes him as “a good friend”, and Sinner says of Draper: “He’s playing an incredible tournament.”