Jack Draper has set his sights on going “all the way” in tennis after a positive start to his return from injury. The young Brit has been sidelined by multiple physical issues this season but recently made his first Challenger final in 18 months at the Open d’Orleans. Draper is now hoping to pick back up where he left off before becoming one of the best players in the game.
Draper had a breakthrough season in 2022 – winning three Challengers in a row, reaching his first tour-level semi-final in Eastbourne, making the Montreal Masters quarter-final, and cracking the top 50. But he was unable to keep building on his progress this season after multiple setbacks. The 21-year-old suffered cramps against Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open and then picked up an abdominal injury in Indian Wells.
He returned in Monte Carlo but tore his shoulder at the French Open and made his comeback three months later at the Winnipeg Challenger. Since then, Draper has reached the second week of the US Open and the final in Orleans, losing to Tomas Machac.
As his comeback continues to gain speed, Draper has now outlined his new goals as he bids to rise to the top of tennis. “Next year, [the goal is] to carry on where I’ve left off at the end of this year,” he told the ATP Challenger Tour.
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“The main thing for me is always to just keep developing physically. My goal is not to be a top 100 or a top 50 player. My goal is to be one of the best in the world.” While Draper knows it will be a long way to the top, he sees no reason why he can’t make it.
He continued: “There’s many things that need to fall into place for that, but I think if I keep competing and keep working hard day in and day out and doing all the things I need to do physically and mentally to be at the top of the game, there’s no reason why I don’t have the game and the ability to go all the way in this sport.”
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The British No 7 thinks he has already learned a lot from his months on the sidelines when he continued to plug away in an effort to return to competition as soon as he could, having missed his home Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon. “With this year, having so many injuries and having to come back from them, it definitely builds a lot of strength of character,” he explained.
“I knew I just had to get myself in a good place physically and mentally to be at the top of my game. I feel like this year, although it’s been really difficult, dropping out of the Top 100 and all these things, I’ve learned so much and I’m a much better player now than I was nine, 10 months ago. I’m proud of myself, but it’s definitely been difficult.”
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