British No 1 Jack Draper loved a breakthrough 2024, profitable his first two ATP Tour titles and reaching the US Open semi-finals.
The Londoner scooped over £2 million in prize cash and rose to a career-high fifteenth within the rankings after 39 victories in his 61 matches.
Draper is lacking the United Cup as a consequence of a hip damage – that additionally prevented him from attending a coaching camp with four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz – however is hopeful of being match for the Australian Open in Melbourne from January 12.
“In all honesty, I haven’t been able to train the way I wanted to. My preparation, probably, for Australia won’t be the best,” mentioned.
“But that’s the situation in the sport – you’ve got to roll with the highs and lows. Hopefully I give myself the best shot of playing well.”
When may Draper subsequent be in motion on Sky Sports activities?
The left-hander will not be anticipated to play in any occasions forward of the primary Grand Slam of the season, whereas he has already determined to skip his nation’s Davis Cup tie with Japan in late January.
There’s an ATP 250 occasion in Montpellier beginning on January 27, earlier than February sees competitions in Dallas, Rotterdam, Delray Seashore, Buenos Aires, Marseilles, Rio de Janeiro, Doha, Dubai, Acapulco and Santiago for Draper to doubtlessly select from.
March is then dominated by the large hard-court Masters 1000 occasions in Indian Wells and Miami, earlier than the clay-court season options similar-status tournaments in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, forward of the French Open from Could 25 to June 8.
Wimbledon runs from June 30 to July 15 earlier than Draper will return to Flushing Meadows, stay on Sky Sports activities, for the US Open from August 30 to September 2.
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Draper beat Karen Khachanov to win the Vienna Open and declare his first ATP 500 title.
What did Draper obtain in 2024?
Atter struggling a second defeat in as many ATP finals in January – his loss to Jiri Lehecka within the Adelaide Worldwide following on from falling brief in opposition to Adrian Mannarino in Sofia the earlier November – Draper gained his subsequent two ATP finals in 2024, on the grass in Stuttgart after which the indoor onerous courtroom in Vienna.
The Sutton-born participant got here from a set right down to beat Mario Berrettini in Germany in June to assert his maiden ATP 250 title and upgraded that to an ATP 500 trophy 4 months later when he defeated Karen Khachanov in straight units in Austria.
Different notable match wins included defeating Alcaraz at Queen’s and Alex De Minaur on the US Open, whereas he additionally recorded two victories over one other pair of top-10 gamers in Hubert Hurkacz (in Japan) and Taylor Fritz (in Paris).
He battled gamely in opposition to world No 1 Jannik Sinner earlier than taking place in three units within the US Open semi-finals, with that run to the final 4 holding him in with an opportunity of reaching the season-ending ATP Tour Finals earlier than these hopes had been extinguished by defeat to De Minaur within the final 16 in Paris.
Draper may also be disenchanted to have misplaced within the second spherical at Wimbledon – crushed by compatriot Cameron Norrie – and maybe that he was unable to again up his win over Alcaraz at Queen’s, falling to Tommy Paul within the subsequent spherical.
Draper able to ‘shake up’ prime gamers in 2025
Draper mentioned: “I’ve got this inner belief now. I’ll go again next year with even bigger motivation to really shake up those guys at the top of the game – the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz.
“Successful my first title, then the US Open, have been large in actually believing that I belong. It has been a snowball impact since then.
“If I can carry on enhancing bodily, and getting extra expertise at this larger degree in opposition to prime gamers, I’ll give myself a shot at competing with these guys. However there’s a whole lot of work to do.
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Draper sat down with Gigi Salmon to debate his profession thus far, coping with the calls for of the ATP Tour and fulfilling his potential in 2025
“As a young player, I’m still learning to cope with the demands of playing on the tour, week-in, week-out, against a lot of these guys.
“I’ve solely performed 120 matches on the tour. A number of them have performed 400, 500. How a lot I’ve improved from a psychological, bodily, emotional standpoint within the final 40 matches – it is an enormous distinction.
“So to think that I’m that far behind it, I’m still able to achieve what I’ve been doing, I think I just need more time.”
Watch the ATP and WTA Excursions, in addition to the US Open in New York, stay on Sky Sports activities in 2025 or stream with NOW.
