In an intense US Open semi-final, Jack Draper faced not only his opponent Jannik Sinner but also a personal battle with nausea and anxiety. The 22-year-old British tennis player was visibly struggling during his 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 defeat, vomiting multiple times due to the overwhelming humidity and stress of the occasion.
“It was extremely humid today,” Draper explained after the match. “It was a very physical match… Even though I generally feel pretty relaxed, I definitely felt more excited today, a few more nerves. I’m quite an anxious human being. I think when you add all that together sometimes I do feel a bit of nausea on court.”
Draper vomited three times during the match, making it difficult for him to keep his energy levels up as he couldn’t hold down any fluids or food. “You just feel worse and worse because you can’t put anything in your body… It’s the worst feeling ever,” Draper said, describing his ordeal.
Despite the physical and mental challenges, Draper was determined not to retire from the match, even as his body was fighting against him. “No, no, no, I’m not going to retire in the semis of a Grand Slam,” he insisted. “I tried to fight as hard as I can. Just not going to get it done against someone like that.”
Draper, known for his resilience, acknowledged that managing anxiety is a constant challenge, but one he continues to work through. “I’ve got quite a strong mentality… that sort of anxiety and those feelings can build up. It’s definitely just something that is a real strength of mine but also a weakness.”
While his US Open run ended in disappointment, Draper leaves with valuable lessons from his first Grand Slam semi-final, proving his ability to fight through adversity on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Jack Draper in 2024
Ranked world no.25 (career-high), the Brit played his last match on the 6th of September when he surrendered to world no.1 Jannik Sinner 7-5 7-6(3) 6-2 in the semifinal of the U.S. Open (draw).
This year Jack achieved a composed 30-18 win-loss record. This year, Draper conquered 1 tournament in Stuttgart. The Brit got to the final in Adelaide.
Jack Draper will play the world no.364 Lucas Poullain in the final. Their current record is 2-0 for Poullain.
Draper conquered 1 title in 2024 in Stuttgart. The Brit reached the final in Adelaide (Adelaide International).
Jack Draper |
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