How Britain's Draper became US Open semi-finalist

Jack Draper has go conscionable nan 4th British man to scope nan US Open singles semi-finals successful nan Open era.

Getting nan amended of Zhang Zhizhen, Facundo Diaz Acosta, Botic van de Zandschulp, Tomas Machac and Alex de Minaur has carried him done to nan past four, wherever world number 1 Jannik Sinner awaits.

We return a look astatine nan tennis travel that has brought Draper to this point.

Draper was viewed arsenic an breathtaking imaginable from an early property successful British tennis circles, but nan first clip he made his people connected a wider assemblage came successful nan Wimbledon juniors successful 2018.

The left-hander was conscionable 16 but caught nan oculus astatine nan All England Club arsenic he progressed done nan rounds.

He faced a quarter-final against Lorenzo Musetti, who reached nan men's semi-finals astatine SW19 this year, and saw disconnected nan much-fancied Italian earlier winning a marathon last-four conflict against Nicolas Majia 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (6-8) 19-17.

Perhaps still exhausted aft specified an epic contest, Draper mislaid to Chinese Taipei’s Tseng Chun-hsin successful nan final, but location was capable to propose location would beryllium plentifulness much to travel from him.

This has been a breakout twelvemonth for Draper, who secured his first ATP title astatine nan Stuttgart Open successful June.

That elevated nan 22-year-old to British number 1 position for nan first time, but it was a fewer days later astatine Queen's that he really made group guidelines up and return notice.

Draper came up against Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz successful nan 2nd round, pinch nan Spaniard defending a 13-match winning streak connected grass.

"Coming to Queen's for a location tournament, being British number one, you would deliberation would put much accent connected my shoulders - but it is nan opposite," said Draper.

"I consciousness calm and relaxed because I cognize I'm doing nan correct things. I spot successful my tennis and cognize I'm going to beryllium reliable to beat."

That calm was evident arsenic Draper hit Alcaraz, who would later spell connected to take sides his Wimbledon title, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

For truthful long, Andy Murray was nan undisputed king of British tennis - but for overmuch of his career, location was nary evident heir.

Draper put himself successful contention erstwhile he took a group disconnected Novak Djokovic connected his Wimbledon debut successful 2021, but injuries and fittingness issues complete nan adjacent mates of years threatened to derail his progress.

However, he has returned to afloat fittingness successful 2024 and during his last Wimbledon, Murray was effusive successful his praise of his Davis Cup team-mate.

"Jack's decidedly sewage nan expertise to spell correct to nan apical of nan game," Murray said.

"He's a really breathtaking subordinate to watch and I deliberation he's sewage a large future."

While a second-round exit astatine SW19 followed, Draper's tally successful New York shows why he is truthful highly thought of by Murray.

And Draper's comments astir Murray aft his fourth-round triumph complete Machac successful New York show nan emotion is mutual.

"I miss being adjacent to his stinky shoes and each his stinky clothes," Draper said.

"But Andy's a fable and if I person half nan profession he's had past I'll beryllium a happy man."

Draper's occurrence truthful acold intends he follows 2012 champion Murray, 1997 runner-up Greg Rusedski and 2004 semi-finalist Tim Henman arsenic British men who person reached nan singles last 4 during nan Open era successful New York.

Draper is not 1 to awkward distant from nan spotlight disconnected nan tribunal either.

Glamorous photoshoots pinch stylish manner magazines person shown his entreaty to wider markets.

Tatler described him arsenic having a "jawline sharper than a Stanley knife" erstwhile he was featured alongside chap British players Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie past year, while he precocious appeared successful Vogue connected his own.

"I rather bask being successful beforehand of nan camera, if I'm looking good, that is," Draper quipped to Vogue.

Anna Wintour, nan Vogue editor-in-chief, moreover sat pinch his support squad during his fourth-round thrashing of Machac.

There was small chance of Draper avoiding tennis erstwhile he was younger fixed really progressive his family is successful nan sport.

His father, Roger, was nan main executive of nan Lawn Tennis Association betwixt 2006 and 2013.

Meanwhile, mother Nicky was 1 of Britain's apical players arsenic a inferior and is now a tennis coach.

His older relative Ben was besides a talented tennis subordinate and competed astatine US assemblage level while astatine University of California-Berkeley.

In much caller years, different personnel of nan family, his canine Ozzy, has been important to Draper switching disconnected distant from nan court.

He says nan labradoodle helps him to relax because he "couldn't attraction little if I've had a bad time aliases a awesome day, he's ever happy".

Away from tennis it must person been a mixed fewer days for Draper, who is simply a large Oasis instrumentality and managed to get a summons to spot them adjacent year.

But he besides supports Manchester United - and things person gone little good for them...