Draper: owning the pressure of becoming a top player

As he rises up the rankings, Jack Draper said, during an interview co-conducted by UTS and Tennis Majors, that he’s ready to embrace the responsibility that comes with it. The Brit, who will be back on court for UTS London Grand Final (December 5-7th, tickets available here) opens up about maturity, expectations, and carrying himself like a top player ahead of UTS London.

Jack Draper – world No 5 before suffering an arm injury and playing only four matches since and including Wimbledon, and now No 10 – isn’t hiding from his new reality: he’s no longer “the promising youngster.” Expectations rose fast, he’s now a player expected in the last stages of the biggest events. And he welcomes it.

“I’ve matured a lot this season. I understand what it takes and the level I need to bring every week”, he told. With that comes a shift: the pressure to perform consistently, to go deeper at big tournaments.

I want to be someone who is consistent, someone who goes deep in big events. That’s the standard I’m setting for myself

For Draper, this pressure is the next step of his evolution. “I want to be someone who is consistent, someone who goes deep in big events. That’s the standard I’m setting for myself.”

He knows that reaching the top requires carrying himself with a different mindset, sharper focus, higher standards, clearer ambition. “I know what I want, and I know how to work for it. I feel ready for that next step.”

That’s why UTS fits perfectly into his journey. The format is intense, demanding, and unforgiving, exactly what top players must navigate.

And he hasn’t forgotten what winning the 2023 UTS London Grand Final brought him: “Being in London with the home crowd was fantastic. It gave me confidence going into 2024.”