Jack Draper on enjoying with Jannik Sinner, Andy Murray’s farewell & extra | ATP Tour

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Draper on enjoying with Sinner, Murray’s farewell & extra

ATPTour.com speaks completely to the Briton in Cincinnati

August 15, 2024

It has been a memorable few weeks for Jack Draper in an unforgettable season for the Briton.

The lefty competed within the Olympics for the primary time in Paris, the place he loved a front-row seat to the ultimate occasion of Andy Murray’s profession.

“lt was wonderful. Andy’s been such a job mannequin and an inspiration for me all through the years,” Draper stated. “I feel to be at his final occasion was unimaginable. Clearly, what he is achieved for the game and achieved for British tennis, hopefully I can take it ahead from right here.”

Draper has reached new heights in 2024, ascending to a career-high No. 26 within the PIF ATP Rankings in July and claiming his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart. However a reminiscence that can stick out regardless of a second-round loss in singles is spending time with Murray and his teammates in Paris.

“To be part of the workforce and to be at his final occasion, having watched when he was youthful, what he is achieved and stuff, that was actually particular and an actual honour for me,” Draper stated. “Hopefully, he will stick round and never be a stranger. He’ll nonetheless be round and provides recommendation and be an excellent pal.”

That was not Draper’s solely enjoyable expertise currently. In Montreal, the Briton partnered World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in doubles. They gained two matches collectively on the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 occasion.

“He is such an excellent participant, however extra importantly, an unimaginable human being. [He is] very real, humorous, and that is the rationale why we needed to play collectively. I feel we’re good mates,” Draper stated. “We at all times say hello to one another. We at all times assist one another no matter outcomes. It is good to kind of have that camaraderie and stuff, and despite the fact that hopefully we will likely be shut rivals.”

Draper gained his solely earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly in opposition to Sinner in two tie-breaks on the 2021 cinch Championships. Since then, each males have soared up the PIF ATP Rankings and vastly improved their video games.

“He’s somebody I’ve big respect for, and I feel he is doing extremely effectively within the sport,” Draper stated. “He’s a type of guys who’s displaying us the best way. So to play with him was an actual honour, and to play with the No. 1 on this planet was big as effectively.”

This 12 months’s Adelaide finalist wanted two hours and 33 minutes to claw previous Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) for a spot within the Cincinnati Open second spherical. He misplaced his opening match in Montreal to in-form Australian Jordan Thompson.

“Clearly coming from the Olympics, I have never had an excessive amount of time on the exhausting courts,” Draper stated. “So final week was an actual problem, having to compete after simply three or 4 days on the exhausting, particularly going from the grass, then clay, then to the exhausting. However I had a troublesome final week, and it was actually tough to kind of settle for. However I performed actually good doubles with Jannik, a few matches, and got here right here and simply saved on attempting to place within the work.”

Draper has an opportunity to earn an upset victory on Thursday in opposition to ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Win or lose, he’s excited to proceed pushing his recreation ahead.

“My tennis is not the prettiest in the intervening time,” Draper stated. “I feel it is robust circumstances right here, everybody finds a bit of bit tough as a result of the ball flies via the air in a short time. However typically proud of the best way I fought at this time and completely happy to return via.”