Draper: How UTS boosted his game and mindset

Before stepping back into full competition, Jack Draper returns to a place that changed him: UTS. The Brit, excited play UTS London Grand Final (December 5-7th, tickets available here), explains, in an interview co-conducted by UTS and Tennis Majors, how the format sharpened his game, and why he’s using it again as a launchpad.

Jack Draper, UTS London Grand Final champion in 2023, isn’t just coming back to the court, he’s coming back to the arena that pushed him out of his comfort zone.

The ambitious world No 10 who wants to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner still remembers what his first run at the event gave him. “UTS was a great springboard,” he said. “Being in London with a home crowd and my coach on court was fantastic. It gave me confidence going into 2024.”

For Draper, the format is a weapon. Fast points, constant pressure, zero downtime, exactly the environment he thrives in.

“There’s so much going on in a UTS match, it demands a lot mentally and physically”

“There’s so much going on in a UTS match, it demands a lot mentally and physically. My breathing was trying to keep up with my mind’s pace.”

That’s precisely why he’s chosen UTS as his comeback stage after an arm injury ended his season early.

He isn’t easing in, he’s accelerating. “I’m building my confidence and building my tennis to be at full throttle again … when you have time out of the game, it’s really important to get back to that speed.”

And yes, Draper still has the physical reminder of what UTS gave him. “My UTS trophy? It’s at my mum’s house, on top of my bedroom cabinet.”

Draper returns to London ready to tap back into that intensity, ready to use UTS the way he sees it: as a serious lab for progress, not only a show.