When Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo defeated Jack Draper in the Davis Cup on Friday, the world number 31 said in his on-court interview: “I played the match of my life today.”
In the stands of the AO Arena, a Mancunian accent could be heard answering loudly: “You only won because our Jack was dead tired.”
Many voices in the stands expressed their agreement.
The sense of belonging that the crowd of over 9,000 felt towards Draper in his 7-6, 7-5 defeat shows just how firmly the 22-year-old has endeared himself to the British tennis public, particularly in light of his US Open Course.
The world number 20’s exploits at Flushing Meadows came at the perfect time, as Sir Andy Murray had retired just over a month earlier.
Emma Raducanu’s remarks that Murray was not a novelty seem out of place, given what he has done for British tennis. He has transcended the sport and achieved that rare status of national treasure for a sportsman. And that is for his efforts on and off the court, including three major titles and two Olympic gold medals.
But with Draper so quickly finding success in a major tournament after Murray’s retirement, the question must be asked: will this expectation that he emulate a man he calls his idol make or break him?
Frankness reflects strength of character
Draper shares one trait in common with Murray: his honesty. After his semi-final defeat in New York, he talked openly about anxiety and the illness that took him. The fact that he speaks about mental health, so early in his career, shows a strength of character but also the vision of a Generation Z athlete.
Draper looked every inch the part in his neon pink tennis shoes on the Manchester court. He was expressive every time he won or lost a point in a match that, at times, played out with the length and intensity of a game. He also looked tired and was open in declaring the tennis calendar ‘mental’ and how “it’s going to be very difficult for players my age to achieve any longevity.”
He didn’t use that as an excuse for his defeat, but it seems to be part of his nature. He may be strengthening his role as an ambassador for British tennis as Murray now plays on the golf course rather than the tennis court.
Draper was also frank in saying he found the transformation from Davis Cup rookie to de facto team leader as British number one difficult in a year.
Taking on high expectations
“It’s a lot different,” he said. “I feel like I’m a lot different player in every way, my experiences, my ranking, not having Andy and Cam (Norrie) here is a little bit different.
“But yeah, it’s been tough for me so far. I had a really good match against (Thanasi) Kokkinakis and then (Miomir) Kecmanovic last year. Today I feel like I played against a guy who plays 10/10 tennis and can’t make mistakes. I’m gutted by what happened today, it’s an important match on Sunday and I’ll be ready to go.”
In addition to her success on the court, what helped Murray get through it was her strong stance on women in tennis and sport in general, as well as her ability to speak out in the way Draper does today.
The Sutton man has boy-next-door charm and British tennis insiders speak fondly of his care for causes such as wheelchair tennis and diversity in the sport. It belies the glamorous image projected by his part-time modelling contract with IMG, which includes a spread in Vogue and having the publication’s editor-in-chief and famous tennis fan, Dame Anna Wintour, in his dressing room during the US Open.
This flirtation with the fashion world would not have been within Sir Andy’s capabilities, but it shows that Draper is prepared to accept the wider recognition that will come with his rise if he were to break through. Yet he does not speak out too much on social media, which shows a certain lightness.
Draper’s game has all the ingredients to help him transcend British tennis, but much will depend on how he handles the psychological pressure as one of the great hopes of British tennis. The Davis Cup match against Canada, which he absolutely must win on Sunday, will be another step in his journey.
