Jack Draper is the first British male player to reach the US Open semi-finals since Andy Murray in 2012. He won his first straight sets title at a Grand Slam, but the British No. 1 told Sky Sports he still has “a long way to go”.
Draper has won 15 straight matches without dropping a set in the tournament. He swept No. 10 seed Alex de Minaur 6-3 7-5 6-2 on Wednesday night..
“This didn’t happen overnight for me,” Draper said after reaching the final four at Flushing Meadows. “I
I had been working hard for a long time and believed I was doing the right thing, and I knew my time would come.
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Highlights from Draper's win over De Minor in the US Open quarterfinals
“I don't know when, but I hope to do many amazing things from here on out. I'm very proud of myself.”
“I won most of my matches, if not all of them, in three sets, but I think I still have a lot of potential,” he added.
Draper, 'not scared' of semi-final: 'It's an honor'
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Tim Henman, Marion Bartoli and Feliciano Lopez provide in-depth insight into Draper's quarter-final win over De Minaur.
Draper has struggled with injuries in the early years of his career, and concerns grew when the 22-year-old requested a medical timeout midway through the second set and strained his right hamstring.
“I felt something at set point in the first set,” Draper explained. “I was a little worried at the time, but then I played the next two sets.
“One of the things that helped me get better this year is that I've gotten a lot better mentally.
“I know that I'm going to have some minor aches and injuries because I play so much tennis, compete, and use my body so much, but I just have to keep trying.
“It didn't get any worse in the end, and I felt good at the end of it. I was glad it wasn't a problem.”
Draper has been able to use his injury history to his advantage, giving him a bigger perspective as he takes on his first deep challenge at a Grand Slam.
“I don’t feel overwhelmed by the situation I’m in,” he added. “It doesn’t affect me in any way.
“I think it helps that I've already been through a lot of low points in my career, injuries, setbacks, maybe quitting or wondering if I was cut out for this sport. Am I really good enough? All that stuff.
“I kept believing in myself and kept working. Those moments were hard. Now, it's not as hard as it used to be.
“It's a privilege, it's an honor to be here, and I'm not afraid to be here. This is why I work hard, this is why I play.”
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Draper said reaching the US Open semifinals was a dream come true.
Draper: Murray is always there for me when I need him.
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Draper pays tribute to Andy Murray for the tremendous support he has given him over the years.
Draper is the first player since Murray to reach the semifinals of the US Open and is looking to follow in Murray's footsteps and win the title, just as the great player did when he retired 12 years ago.
Draper hasn't heard from him yet.
“I haven’t spoken to Andy. I think he’s enjoying his retirement,” Draper said.
“I've talked to Andy a number of times in the past, talking about Grand Slams and all that stuff.
“It's certainly a good thing to get advice from people you respect, but ultimately, I think it's their experience that matters.
“I think it's important to go through these situations yourself and understand them for yourself, because everyone reacts differently to different pressures, different situations, and different emotions.
“I know Andy is there for me when I need him, but at the same time, I feel pretty comfortable. I feel pretty good, and I just want to live each day and keep moving forward.”
Coach Trotman: We're seeing a pretty good version of Draper.
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Draper's coach James Trautman explains what the British tennis star is like on and off the court.
Draper's coach, James Trautman, believes he will see “a pretty good version” of the Brit in New York.
“Anyone who has watched Jack consistently will have seen an incredible side of tennis. It's kind of a myth that Jack had to be this ultimate, aggressive tennis player,” he said.
“He played fantastic tennis, but maybe when he should have been a little braver or taken his chances, he didn't. But we're saying there's a small difference between winning and losing that match.
“Those losses were actually really important to his journey. It was about looking at how I was losing those games and saying, 'What do I need to do to have a better chance?'”
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Sky Sports' Danyal Khan discusses Draper's run to the US Open semi-finals with Marion Bartoli.
What matches will be on Sky Sports Tennis in September?
- Jasmine Open, Tunisia – WTA 250 (September 9-15)
- Guadalajara Open, Mexico – WTA 500 (September 9-15)
- Korea Open – WTA 500 (September 16-22 – Emma Raducanu in action)
- Thailand Open – WTA 250 (September 16-22)
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and is integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers more than 50% more live sport to watch at no extra cost this year. Find out more here.
