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Jack Draper has vowed to embrace being the new leader and figurehead of British tennis as he begins his Wimbledon campaign as a top contender for the championship.
Draper will face Sebastian Baez of Argentina in his first-round match on Tuesday, a long-awaited homecoming for the 23-year-old after enjoying a remarkable rise during the past year. Only a few years ago he sought out advice from Andy Murray and other top British players as he tried to understand how he could fulfil his enormous potential. The fourth seed is now the point of reference for all other British players and many have already asked him for his thoughts on their own journeys.
“It’s very nice when people reach out,” Draper said. “I think within British tennis, especially, people know the work I’ve been through, the adversity I’ve gone through with injuries, the type of person I am where I’m always wanting to progress. I’m always wanting to understand how I can be better as a player.”
An example of Draper’s newfound authority came last year when Hannah Klugman, one of Britain’s most talented youngsters, arranged a lunch meeting with him through her coach, Ben Haran. She views Draper’s advice as instrumental in helping her to find her way again. Klugman, who reached the French Open girls’ final this month, will make her grand slam debut on Monday against the 29th seed Leylah Fernandez after receiving a wildcard.
“My message to her was that everyone’s on their own journeys,” Draper said. “But regardless, if you look at a top player, or if you look at someone who’s doing incredibly well, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve got it all figured out and they’re not in the state of struggle themselves. They just know how to deal with it better.
“In a sport like tennis or in any sport, people think it’s easy. You go out there, win, you feel great, but the challenge is there every day to perform and to be better. So my message to her was that everyone’s the same. It’s just how you deal with it. So don’t be afraid of the doubts and the fear and the anxiety and the struggles that come with the tennis world.”
Carlos Alcaraz, the defending men’s champion, opens play on Centre Court on Monday against the veteran Italian Fabio Fognini. Other headliners on the opening day include Aryna Sabalenka, the world No 1, who begins against Carson Branstine, a Canadian qualifier, and Emma Raducanu, who faces the 17-year-old British wildcard Mimi Xu.
Draper has been handed a difficult draw as he tries to manage the elevated pressure and expectations that come with his new status but is determined to show the country his potential. “It’s a great opportunity here at Wimbledon and a great chance to hopefully show the British public what I’m able to do on a tennis court, and the type of personality I am,” he said.
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Along with the pressure that comes with competing in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, the players will have to deal with searing temperatures at Wimbledon throughout the first week. In a sport that frequently takes place in hot conditions, however, many of the top players were not particularly concerned about the prospect of performing in elevated temperatures. “I just tell myself I’m from Florida,” Naomi Osaka said, smiling.
