Jack Draper makes honest Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner admission as he opens up on disappointing fourth round exit at French Open

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

As the dust settled on his French Open campaign arrived, Jack Draper took stock and reflected on his standing in the tennis ecosystem.
In December, relatively fresh off a breakthrough run to the US Open semi-finals, the British No1 told us his ambition for 2025 was to narrow the gap to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two greatest players in the world.
At the halfway point of the season, how would Draper assess his progress? 'I still think I'm a long way behind those boys,' said the 23-year-old, who lost in the fourth round to an inspired Alexander Bublik. 'I still have lots to learn.
'My level is getting better all the time but it's not just the tennis. It's the consistency of what they're doing. It's doing it when it matters and these are the tournaments that it matters.
'I have a lot to go still to get to them. I'm working hard, I'm doing the right things, and we'll see.'
Draper is clear on what it will take for him to close the gap: time. 'They've probably played double the amount of matches,' he said. 'They're a year, two years ahead of me. Achieved a lot more, a lot more experience. I have a lot to do to catch up with them, in all honesty.'
Bublik was in inspired form as he caused a major upset against the Brit, who is world No 5
In terms of tour-level matches, Draper has played 162 compared to 304 and 360 for Alcaraz and Sinner respectively - that is a big gulf in experience.
Draper's rise has been so steep over the last 10 months that the Bublik defeat almost feels like the first real setback, the first time the hype-train has hit a stop sign.
It would be a silver lining to his fourth-round exit if, with Wimbledon shimmering on the horizon, British expectations are dampened. Draper's biggest challenge on the grass will be dealing with the pressure of being a top five seed at his home Slam.
'It will be an experience for me, for sure,' said Draper. 'I don't know what to expect. I feel confident. I feel happy. I've had a lot of experiences this year playing Australians in Australia and Frenchies in France - there's not been many places where I have the crowd with me, so that will be nice. I feel like I'm still playing amazing tennis. Let's see what I can do.'
Meanwhile in Paris, the first women's semi-final was set and it is a blockbuster: Iga Swiatek will face Aryna Sabalenka at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2022 US Open.
Both won in straight sets, Swiatek beating Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 and Aryna Sabalenka taking out Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng 7-6, 6-3.
Swiatek leads the head to head 8-4 but Sabalenka is the world No1 and in far better form.
'I love these challenges,' said Sabalenka. 'I'm ready to leave everything I have to get the win.'