Jack Draper will not be ‘the following Andy Murray’ however he can emulate his pal and idol at US Open

Jack Draper and Andy Murray are each tennis gamers, however that’s nearly the place the likeness stops. At 22, Murray was nonetheless feeling his means into the highlight after reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon, painted on the time as some form of misanthrope, an implacable grump. In contrast Draper, who performs in his first grand slam semi-final on Friday, is embracing the celebrity. “I fairly take pleasure in being in entrance of the digital camera,” he informed British Vogue whereas doing a canopy shoot this summer season. “If I’m wanting good, that’s.”

Draper posed in checked coats and leather-based jackets with curls of hair bouncing off his brow like Danny Zuko, one among his many hairstyles. “I’ve completed a buzzcut, a mohawk, a mullet…” In the meantime, Murray was not too long ago requested what recommendation he’d give to his youthful self. “Get a haircut,” he replied. “And get some garments that match.”

And but for all their variations, there’s an apparent and irresistable hyperlink. Murray’s third piece of recommendation to himself was to take pleasure in tennis earlier than it’s gone. Now it’s gone, and as Draper turned the primary British man to achieve the final 4 of a slam since Murray on the French Open in 2017, there was an unmistakable sense of the torch being handed.

Draper thrashed the world No 10 Alex de Minaur within the quarter-finals of the US Open and mentioned he was immensely proud to be following within the footsteps of his pal and an “icon of the sport” in Murray. “I miss him within the altering rooms. I miss being subsequent to his smelly sneakers and all of his smelly garments. Andy is a legend. If I’ve half the profession that he’s had then I’ll be a contented man.”

Draper’s rise was considerably completely different to Murray, who grew up in Dunblane and moved to Barcelona as a young person. He’s the son of the previous Garden Tennis Affiliation chief government Roger Draper and Nicky Draper, a British junior champion. He attended the non-public Reed’s Faculty in Surrey and was coached from a younger age, growing a robust left-handed serve and forehand regardless of being naturally right-handed.

By this level in his profession, Murray had reached a number of slam quarter-finals, had received 4 ATP titles and was ranked No 4 on the planet. Draper is No 25, with one tour title to this point, the Stuttgart Open he received in June. That distinction is partly a spot in pure means, however it is usually defined by Draper’s struggles with a plethora of accidents – again, hip, ankle, shoulder – which have meant that that is actually his first 12 months of sustained play.

“My physique was manufactured from glass,” Draper not too long ago mentioned of his struggles in 2022 and 2023 – and right here there’s a parallel to Murray, whose physique broke down as a younger rising participant, which drew stinging criticism within the media. Murray labored on his physique within the winter of 2007/08 and got here again the next season unrecognisably stacked, resulting in his well-known bicep-flex celebration at Wimbledon the following summer season.

Draper, too, has labored onerous within the health club over the previous 12 months to turn out to be extra bodily resilient. He admits he has not at all times adopted an expert mindset, indulging in quick meals and having fun with nights out and some beers, as a comic book video of a boozy automobile experience house with Murray final 12 months advised (Murray stoically drives as Draper sings I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles on the high of his voice whereas swigging lager).

In New York this week, Draper has returned straight to his resort after matches or apply, ordering wholesome meals through Deliveroo and watching a film. His coach has banned espresso with caffeine.

“I could make a cup of tea within the room after which watch a collection or one thing,” he mentioned of his new puritanical life-style. “I watched Gangs of London not too long ago. Simply something to preserve psychological and bodily vitality, whether or not that’s calling house or simply being chilled. It’s typically a little bit of a lonely existence being a high tennis participant. You may have simply received to make many sacrifices.”

He has reached a complete new degree this summer season, not simply in his achievements on courtroom however with the style of them. His run right here to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows has been immaculate, with out a set dropped, and the way in which he blasted De Minaur off the courtroom with peerless serving and a flurry of booming forehand winners felt like an announcement to the rest of the sphere.

Up subsequent is a stiffer check on the planet No 1, Jannik Sinner. The pair know one another properly from their junior days however their skilled paths have crossed solely as soon as, when Draper received a good match at Queen’s Membership in 2021. The winner will e book a date with a hostile crowd in opposition to one of many People within the different semi-final, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, in a wide-open match with out the overwhelmed Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

Even when it doesn’t occur this time, Draper has proven sufficient to recommend he can in the future emulate Murray and turn out to be a grand slam champion. He’ll forge his personal path and it will be unfair to anticipate a repeat of Murray’s achievements: reaching world No 1, profitable three slams in 11 finals, claiming 46 titles in all together with two Olympic golds and a Davis Cup received with a lob from the gods. British tennis might by no means see one other Murray. However a minimum of Draper received’t must face Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic of their prime.

No matter he achieves, Draper will at all times have Murray’s help. The pair skilled collectively whereas Murray recovered from hip resurfacing surgical procedure in 2018, which gave the younger Draper an opportunity not solely to hit with one of many world’s finest gamers however to choose his brains, a useful resource he nonetheless faucets. “Once I do have a query,” he mentioned this week, “I’ll usually choose up the cellphone and I’ll communicate to Andy and get his recommendation on issues.”

Maybe one distinction between the 2 at this stage of their careers is that the world appears to know Draper already, in a means they didn’t with Murray, a minimum of at first. In addition to being a self-confessed tennis nerd, he’s a soccer fan (Manchester United), obsessed with music (rap, grime and Oasis) and an animal lover (he lives with Ozzy the canine in south-west London). “If I’d have known as him Rafa or one thing it will have been a bit cringey,” he defined.

It’s a well-rounded life, however Draper has devoted himself to his occupation with new zeal in latest months and it’s paying off. He’s in the very best place of his profession, match and in kind, completely targeted on his objective of climbing the rankings. Though, there are nonetheless little indicators of a vibrant life past the courtroom: as he dismissed Tomas Machac within the fourth spherical, Vogue editor Anna Wintour watched on from his field. Murray had just a few extra titles by this stage, however he by no means had that.