Brit Jack Draper showed he was born to star at Wimbledon with 100-shot rally when he was FIVE years old

The Sun

11 hours ago

JACK DRAPER first showed he was 'born for the big stage' with a 100-shot rally aged just FIVE.
On Friday morning, the British No 1 will learn his potential path to a Wimbledon final as he aims to follow in the footsteps of two-time winner Andy Murray.
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Draper, 23, has soared to No 4 in the world rankings following a stellar year on court, which saw him crowned Indian Wells champion in March.
His success comes as no surprise to his former coach Justin Sherring — the man who nurtured his talent at the Weybridge Tennis Academy.
And it was one particular passage of play over the net as a kid which caught the eye.
Sherring told SunSport: 'I coached Jack from the age of five to 15. His dad was the CEO of the Lawn Tennis Association and I knew his mum.
'His brother, who is now his agent, also came to the academy. I could see Jack was talented straight away. I had a 100-shot rally with him when he was only five years old.
'He used the whole of the court and just loved playing. Amazing hand-eye coordination — the best I have seen. He also had a massive desire to win.
'I used to make sure I beat him and he always wanted to carry on playing, as he didn't want to lose. I used to tell him to come back tomorrow and try to beat me. He had a huge passion for the game and wanted to keep learning.
'He was always so competitive, with great focus and also a hunger to improve his game. I've coached a lot of kids but what stood out was his dedication and drive. I'm not surprised by the success he has had. He looks born for the big stage.'
Draper reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year in New York and warmed up for Wimbledon with a run to the last four at Queen's.
He was struggling with tonsillitis when he was beaten by Czech ace Jiri Lehecka in the semi-finals in London last weekend — and ended up smashing an advertising board in anger.
But that incident aside, Sherring thinks Draper can thrive on the pressure of carrying the hopes of a nation at SW19.
He added: 'It's very tough with the demands on tour, the way he has come through challenges to get to where he is now is very impressive.
'Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are up there as the favourites but Jack has shown he can compete with them. If he settles in nicely at Wimbledon, with the crowd behind him, he can be dangerous.
'He has already been to the final there as a junior. Jack has no fear and certainly has the game to go a long way in the tournament.
'It is only a matter of time before he wins a Grand Slam. I was at Indian Wells when he went all the way for an amazing win, you could see the belief he had.
'He has been able to adapt his game very well. He played a lot on clay as a junior but has been able to adapt to playing on different surfaces.
'If he gets into the right state of mind at Wimbledon, he will be a very difficult opponent. It can go either way when you have the pressure of playing in a home Grand Slam. Jack can certainly use it to his advantage.'
John McEnroe says he first became aware of Draper nearly a decade ago when the Brit, a foot shorter than his current 6ft 4in frame, attended his US academy.
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The American tennis legend — a seven-time Major-winner — said: 'Jack was 14. He was like 5ft 1in or something.
'So, he had to work on everything. He obviously had a lot of talent.
'I'm not sure how tall his mum is. Or exactly how tall his dad is. I didn't see that happening where, oh, my God, Jesus Christ, this guy's now a physical specimen.
'Jack's really developed into a force. He's seeded No 4 so to me he's the fourth favourite without a doubt. He's absolutely put himself in the mix. He's put himself in a great position. He doesn't have to deal with Sinner or Alcaraz until the semis, that's all you can ask for.'
Draper — who is now over his bout of tonsillitis — faced Denmark's Holger Rune yesterday in an exhibition match at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic in Hurlingham, South-West London.
After taking a set each, Draper won the deciding tiebreak 10-4.
And ahead of today's SW19 main draw at 10am, the Londoner said: 'There are a lot of British players and talent, it's really exciting.
'I will compete hard. It's a great opportunity. I feel good and prepped. I feel strong and ready. At this level, everyone's a great player and everyone can challenge people, even the best players in the world.
'My mindset is whoever I play against I'll have the utmost respect for. They're in the draw for a reason, they're going to be dangerous.
'They're going to want to come out and swing against a guy who's a home player and who's highly ranked. I know whoever I play in the first round is going to be an incredibly tough match but I'll be ready for that.
'It's going to be a privilege to play as the British No 1 and that's what I've always wanted. I've wanted to make Centre Court or Wimbledon my environment and I'm looking forward to hopefully starting that.'