Is Jack Draper Set To Take Hold Of British Tennis After Andy Murray?
British tennis star Jack Draper has been one of the most improved tennis players in recent times. In 2024, he started making headlines at the US Open as he became the first British man since Andy Murray in 2012 to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows. This season, he was expected to carry on that trajectory and boy has he done that.
So far, 2025 has been extremely good for Jack Draper. The left-hander is making gigantic strides in the world of tennis. Considering how fragile the tennis field is today, there is no reason for him not to believe that he can compete in Grand Slams this season and beyond. But there is another interesting debate on the horizon: Can he match the numbers of Andy Murray?
Weaker Field
Draper feels optimistic about his success because he belongs to a weaker field than his idol. Murray was up against the three greatest tennis players of all time (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer). Although the Scottish legend had success against them, it was limited as those three giants kept winning in the important Grand Slam meetings. Despite that, Murray won three Grand Slam titles and one ATP Finals and finished 2016 as the year-end World No.1.
For Draper, the field is not as difficult as it was with Murray. The left-hander has Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to deal with. Although Djokovic is still competing at the highest level, his achievements have slowed down as he has yet to win a title in 2025. Draper has been successful against Alcaraz already this year, upsetting the Spaniard in the Indian Wells semifinals on his way to his first Masters 1000 title. However, Sinner is the one he is trying to target. But the Italian hasn’t shown versatility across all surfaces as the Big 3 have.
Lack Of Grass Court Specialists
When we talk about British tennis players, Wimbledon straight away comes to mind as Great Britain hosts it. It was recently the home of Murray as the Scottish veteran won two of his three Grand Slam titles in SW19. Moreover, he won the Olympic Singles Gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012. This achievement is big because Murray was up against two of the greatest grass-court players ever, Federer and Djokovic.
Today, Alcaraz is the only active player outside of Djokovic with a Wimbledon title. However, the Spaniard has shown physical strains that make us question his ability to replicate his previous success at the All-England club. Hence, with the crowd behind him, Draper has the perfect chance to give SW19 the feeling of celebration again.
The Leftie Factor
Being a left-hander is always an advantage, ask Nadal. Although there are negative examples like Denis Shapovalov, not everyone is the same. The lefties can spin players off the court and take advantage of the rallies. This is how Nadal rose to ascendancy and dominated, especially on the clay courts. Although Draper may not have the same skill as the 22-time Grand Slam champion, having the same profile is no consolation.
After all, if Draper conquers Madrid, he will already have half of the Masters 1000 titles that Murray won on clay. It even increases his chances for Roland Garros, something he would have never imagined. Considering the question marks surrounding Sinner’s rust, Alcaraz’s fitness, and Djokovic’s motivation, who knows we may have one of the most surprising Grand Slam champions in recent times in Draper. One thing we know is that once he gets a Grand Slam title, it won’t be the last time he will be on the podium of the Grand Slam final ceremony.
