Andy Murray excited about Britain’s tennis prospects as he predicts ‘bright future’ for Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu
Andy Murray knows a thing or two about realising your tennis potential and he feels Great Britain have some future stars in Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu.
Draper has enjoyed a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour as he finds himself at No 41 in the ATP Rankings after starting the year outside the top 100.
He won four ATP Challenger Tour events in the first few months before reaching his maiden semi-final at the highest level at the Eastbourne International. He then reached his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final at the Canadian Open, taking out third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the process, before reaching the third round of the US Open on the back of an upset win over sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
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Jack Draper is fired up after beating FAA in Armstrong. pic.twitter.com/KF3IiaMJCO
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 1, 2022
The 20-year-old is currently the British No 3 behind Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans, but ahead of former world No 1 Murray and this week became the first British player to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Raducanu, meanwhile, has not had the best of seasons following her incredible US Open victory last year as she has struggled with form and injury this campaign.
However, she is still the British No 1 and will finish the year at No 73. She also claimed impressive wins over the likes of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka and many are confident she will improve in 2023 after her first full season on the WTA Tour.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Murray has carried the Great British hopes for the past two decades, but he is excited about the youngsters – and not just Draper and Raducanu.
“Jack has got huge potential and only done six or seven months on tour,” he told Evening Sport. “I’ve been lucky to practise with him and spend time with him.
“The future’s really bright for him but also with Emma Raducanu. And there’s a couple of junior prospects on the women’s side that the coaches are pretty excited about.”
READ MORE: Andy Murray ‘downbeat with last few months’, but vows to ’empty the tank in the gym’ ahead of 2023
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