British no.1 Jack Draper says his body finally matches his potential as he powers into Queen’s quarter-finals
Jack Draper once looked like the real deal but admits he struggled to last the distance—until now. The 23-year-old British number one delivered a gritty second-round comeback at Queen’s Club on Wednesday, defeating Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) to secure his spot in the quarter-finals.
“I looked like a Ferrari but I was a bit of a Toyota—broke down quite easily,” Draper quipped after the win. It was a revealing moment from the sixth-ranked player in the world, who has battled persistent fitness setbacks throughout his short but promising career.
Now, with Wimbledon just around the corner, Draper believes he’s finally fine-tuned his body to match his talent.
Draper’s run in Queen’s signals a growing physical and mental resilience. Against Popyrin, he recovered from a slow start, dominated the second set, and held his nerve through a tense final tie-break. It’s a pattern that would’ve been unfamiliar a year ago, when injuries regularly derailed his momentum.
“I’ve felt better and better with every Grand Slam,” Draper said. “I’ve worked really hard off the court to build my strength. I’m starting to feel more confident in myself now.”
The turning point, he believes, came in Melbourne. At this year’s Australian Open, Draper battled through three consecutive five-set matches before facing world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round. Though he retired hurt while trailing 7-5 6-1, it marked a significant breakthrough. His pre-season had been marred by a hip injury, yet he summoned enough endurance to survive nearly 11 hours on court across three matches.
Embed from Getty Images“That gave me belief,” Draper reflected. “It helped me get over that hurdle of not lasting in long matches. Since then, I’ve tried to build on that physically and mentally.”
With Andy Murray’s retirement last year, Draper has been thrust into the role of British tennis’s great hope. He’s handled that pressure admirably so far, clinching three singles titles and reaching the semi-finals at the US Open in 2024—his best Grand Slam showing to date.
This summer, all eyes will be on him again as he takes centre stage at Wimbledon. Draper has never advanced beyond the second round at SW19, but this year feels different.
“My goal is to peak at Wimbledon,” he said. “I’ve been improving each day. Sometimes it takes a while for that form to translate to the match court, but I know I’m capable of better.”
Victory in Friday’s Queen’s quarter-final against American Brandon Nakashima would see Draper seeded fourth at Wimbledon. That seeding could prove pivotal, allowing him to avoid early showdowns with reigning champion Alcaraz or world number one Jannik Sinner.
Draper isn’t getting ahead of himself. “I’m just giving myself the chance to get better each day,” he said. “There’s still a lot of improvement to come, and I’m hungry for it.”
As the British summer hots up, so does Draper’s game. From unreliable engine to finely tuned machine, the Ferrari may finally be road-ready.
