Jack Draper handed huge rankings boost as Tim Henman hands him glowing tribute
Jack Draper is on the brink of a hugely significant rankings breakthrough, even if he fails to make extended progress at the French Open.
The British No 1 has been one of the stand-out players in the game this year, with his win at the Indian Wells Masters backed up by a run to the final of the Miami Open.
Those performances have contributed to a stunning rise up the ATP Rankings for last year’s US Open semi-finalist and he headed into the tournament at Roland Garros as the world No 5.
Now he is set for a rise after world No 4 Taylor Fritz lost his opening match 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Daniel Altmaier.
That defeat for Fritz ensures Draper is at No 4 in the live ATP Rankings, which could be a game changer heading into the grass court season.
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Draper was always going to be a strong contender to challenge for the Wimbledon title, with grass suiting his powerful game perfectly in a summer when he will be cheered on by his British fans.
He already has win against two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz on his record from Queen’s Club a couple of years ago, proving his game can be a real handful on grass.
If he is seeded in the top four at Wimbledon, Draper will be protected from playing against Alcaraz or Sinner until the semi-finals at the earliest and by then, the 23-year-old may be in full swing and ready to challenge for a first Grand Slam title.
Former British No 1 Tim Henman believes Draper’s rise up the rankings could be a key factor in his hopes of challenging for the Wimbledon title, with the hype around the Englishman certain to mount ahead of his challenge at the All England Club.
“The game I really like at the moment is Jack Draper’s,” said Henman, at a TNT Sport and discovery+ event attended by Tennis365.
“I’ve known Jack since he was about 8 or 9 years old. He actually went to the same school I did. What he’s doing in the game now is fantastic. His performances this year, especially winning those three five-set matches in Australia, really showed his competitive spirit and hunger to win tough matches.
“Then, to see him win his first Masters 1000 at Indian Wells—that was very special. So right now, he’s the one I’m really enjoying watching.
“I think he’ll be fine. It’s happened quickly for him—when you reflect on the success he’s had this year and how fast he’s climbed.
“He’s got a solid team around him—family, coaches, his brother. He’s played a lot of tennis at home over the years. Not at this magnitude, sure, but enough to get a feel for it.
“He’ll learn quickly that he needs to control the controllables – his preparation and performance. If he focuses on that, given his current level, he can absolutely reach the second week. And once you’re in week two, anything can happen. But above all, he has to enjoy it. This is why we do all the hard work.”
Draper is currently sitting at No 4 in the ATP Race for 2025 and with limited ranking points to defend over the next few weeks, he has a real chance to emerge as a big challenger to Sinner and Alcaraz at the top of the rankings.
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