Jack Draper, the new British No. 1, has confessed to overcoming imposter syndrome after securing the biggest win of his career by defeating reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s. Draper, 22, triumphed 7-6, 6-3 in front of an ecstatic crowd of 9,000 supporters, propelling himself into the quarter-finals where he will face American Tommy Paul.
This victory comes just days after Draper won his first tour title in Stuttgart. By defeating Alcaraz, he became the first British man in 52 years to beat the top seed at Queen’s. Reflecting on his journey, Draper revealed his feelings of inadequacy when he first played at the tournament two years ago.
“Coming here two years ago, beating [then world No. 14 Taylor] Fritz, I had just broken the top 100, I felt a bit of an imposter at the tournament,” Draper admitted. “I had been here when I was very young watching Andy play, and it was a completely new experience for me.”
Draper missed last year’s grass-court season due to a shoulder injury, a setback that prompted him to rehire fitness trainer Steve Kotze, who previously worked with Andy Murray, to enhance his physical resilience. “Having to miss out on the grass really hurt, but at the same time, I was nowhere near ready,” Draper said. “I was injured all over my body. I had shoulder problems, hip problems. My body was just made of glass at that point. Mentally, as well, I wouldn’t have been ready either.”
Draper’s readiness was evident as he confidently served out the match against Alcaraz, contrasting with previous instances where nerves led to cramping, such as during his match against Rafael Nadal in Australia. Instead, it was Alcaraz who appeared unsettled, visibly frustrated with his coaches and the umpire.
The supportive crowd at Queen’s included friends from Reed’s School in Surrey, his mother Nicky, his agent and brother Ben, and his grandfather Chris, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Draper shared the poignant role his grandmother Brenda, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, played in his tennis journey. “My nan, she sort of introduced us to tennis,” Draper said. “Even though she doesn’t understand what’s going on, it’s amazing for him to be here, be a part of tennis, be a part of my success. He lives and breathes it.”
Expressing gratitude for his support system, Draper added, “I’m incredibly lucky to have such amazing people support me on a daily basis. That’s kind of what brings the glue together as a tennis player, because it’s such an individual sport and it’s so relentless and tiring and there is a lot of things that go into it.”
With his victory over Alcaraz, Draper has firmly established himself on the grass courts of Queen’s, cherishing the experience of playing in front of a home crowd. “There is no place I’d rather be than here in London, here on the grass, playing in front of a home crowd,” Draper concluded.
Draper in London, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.31 (career-high), Draper has a 20-12 match record in 2024. Draper is currently having a run in London where he conquered the world no.29 Mariano Navone 6-3 6-2 and the world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz 7-63 6-3.
Jack Draper will play the world no.13 Tommy Paul in the quarter on Friday at 4:30 pm on CENTRE COURT. Their actual head to head record is 3-1 for Draper.
The Brit clinched 1 title in 2024 in Stuttgart. Jack was the runner-up in Adelaide (Adelaide International).
Jack Draper |
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