Jack Draper believes he is still far from achieving his potential as a tennis player and his breakthrough 2024 season could prove a stepping stone to his ultimate goal of being a leading player and competing for the biggest titles in the world.
“I think this is just a real stepping stone. My goal at the start of the season was to become a top-20 player,” Draper said. “There were lots of things in the way before that to get good results, stay injury free, and all that sort of thing. I think this season really represents myself growing, coming on to the tour, gaining lots of confidence and just improving all the time.
“I think it’s a really good base I’ve got to now hopefully push on, in lots of areas of my game and now that I feel like I’ve got such a good base, it’s just about adding the physicality, the mentality to keep on attacking. It’s really exciting and I think my potential is huge.”
On Thursday Draper’s season came to an end with a tough three-set defeat to Alex de Minaur, the ninth seed, in the last 16 of the Paris Masters. After an intense week in which the 22-year-old won his first ATP 500 title in Vienna before heading straight to Paris, Draper ran out of steam towards the end of his tussle with De Minaur a day after outlasting the fifth seed, Taylor Fritz. Draper finishes his season inside the top 15 after winning titles in Stuttgart and Vienna in addition to his run to the US Open semi-finals.
It is impossible to discuss Draper’s progress without expanding on his improved physicality. This time last year he had fallen to No 91 in the world after yet another injury-ravaged season, which included him retiring from the French Open and then missing Wimbledon. Remaining injury-free for almost the entire year, aside from a minor abdominal injury in Tokyo, has allowed Draper to keep on developing.
“This is my first proper year on tour, I’d say,” he said. “I’m [ranked] whatever I am in the world and I’ve still got so much to improve, so much to learn, so much to grow from. I’m nowhere near my ceiling. I honestly believe that there’s so many areas in my game that need to be better, and have to be better if I’m going to be winning the biggest events in the world. And that’s exciting, because a lot of players, maybe they don’t have a lot of things to improve on.”
This has also been a significant year for Draper off the court. He has talked repeatedly about how he has learned to work consistently each day, which has changed his perspective on his sport. He also just seems to have matured into a more composed, self-confident adult.
“I feel incredibly different,” said Draper. “I’m a lot calmer myself. I have a lot more belief in my tennis, my life outside of the court, it’s hard as a young player. You’re so busy with playing tennis, your life kind of is put on hold. But I’ve understood to have a good balance. In London, I can train, but I’ve also got my own place. I feel very content with a lot of things. I’ve just become more my own person, which is really good.”
Earlier this week, he bluntly stated that he wants to head into the new season “chasing” the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top of the game. It was quite a statement, particularly for a fairly understated personality. But after a year in which he has taken such significant steps towards his lofty goals, eradicating many of the doubts he had about his future, it would be more shocking if he did not believe that he can take his game to the very top of his sport.
Boulter reaches Hong Kong semis
Katie Boulter maintained her impressive form to reach the Hong Kong Open semi-finals after beating Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova in straight sets.
Boulter edged a hard-fought opening frame against an inspired opponent, who was playing to a standard above her world ranking of No 113. The British No 1 was able to run away with the second set to win 6-4, 6-0. She faces Yuan Yue in the last four after the tournament’s sixth seed overcame Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3.
Zakharova matched Boulter, the No 2 seed in Hong Kong, for most of the opening set but the Briton was able to raise her level when it mattered. After holding serve with an ace to lead 5-4, Boulter sealed the first break of the match and took the set after Zakharova hit a forehand into the net.
Boulter was again under pressure in the opening game of the second set, but the world No 29 held her serve and then produced a fabulous volley on break point to move into a 2-0 lead. A second break came after a stunning cross-court forehand as Boulter cruised into a 4-0 lead. After holding serve once more, she broke Zakharova for a third time to wrap up victory in an hour and 16 minutes. Victory moves Boulter up two places to a career-high 27th in the provisional WTA rankings.
“First set, I think I was on another planet,” Boulter said of her slow start. “She [Zakharova] was playing some really good tennis. I felt like at 5-4 I started to pick myself up a bit more. I played some pretty good stuff after that.”
Boulter faced China’s Yuan in the first round of the Australian Open in January, winning 7-5, 7-6 (1). “That was an absolute battle, I thought we played a really good match and there wasn’t much in it,” Boulter told Sky Sports.
“Tomorrow’s going to be really tough, I’ve watched a lot of her matches this week, and I’m sure she’s been watching my games,” she added. “It’s the end of the year, I’m still smiling and still having fun.”
On the other side of the draw, No 1 seed Diana Shnaider beat Suzan Lemens 6-0, 6-7 (4), 6-2 to set up a semi-final with Leylah Fernandez. The No 3 seed from Canada beat Bernarda Pera 6-1, 7-6 (7) in their quarter-final. PA Media
