Jack Draper determined to unlock his grass-court game as he eyes Wimbledon first
He will take on former runner-up Marin Cilic in the second round with the chance to break new ground already having never been beyond the last 64.
Unlike Andy Murray, who came to the fore with breakthrough performances at Wimbledon, this has so far been Draper's least successful grand slam – something he is determined to change.
'I think grass in general is a surface I'm still trying to find my best level on,' he said.
'On the hard courts at US Open, even on the clay this year, I think I found my best level for what I can play right now. I feel like I haven't yet found that on the grass.
'I feel like it's coming, so I'm looking forward to that, that moment when it all sort of comes together and I can really show my best level.
Marin Cilic was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2017 (Daniel Leal-Olivas/POOL)
'I think I've still got so much to unlock on the grass. I think that's really exciting for me. I love Wimbledon. I think if there's any tournament I want to play my best in, any tournament that I want to win, it's this one.
'I'm going to do everything in my power and everything in my control to get to that point.'
Draper admits he was stung by a second-round loss to compatriot Cameron Norrie last year.
'It did get to me, the pressure I was putting on myself,' said the 23-year-old. 'I definitely look back a year on and I feel a lot calmer in myself. This year I feel more confident in my ability and my ability not only to play but to problem solve, to know how to play in five sets.'
The draw did the home hope no favours, with veteran Cilic a definite potential danger.
The Croatian reached the final back in 2017, three years after winning the US Open, and has struggled with a knee problem in recent seasons, but he is now fit again and won the warm-up event in Nottingham.
'Unbelievable career, amazing player,' said Draper. 'Obviously been one of the most consistent guys out there. I'm not sure how many years he was in the top 10, top 15. Used to watch him play all the time.
'Anyone who wins a Challenger on the grass before coming here, they're feeling good on the grass. So it's going to be a really tough challenge. I'm ready for that.'
Draper remains a down-to-earth character despite his current stardom, evidenced by the fact he still drives the same Volkswagen Polo he bought when he passed his driving test.
It is also the same car in which he and Jack Pinnington Jones shared early morning journeys to the National Training Centre in Roehampton as teenagers.
Jack Pinnington Jones will look to reach round three (John Walton/PA)
'He treats it awfully,' said Pinnington Jones. 'He's like, 'I don't need a nice car in London, I'm going to ding it anyway'. He loves it.'
Pinnington Jones chose not to follow Draper straight into the professional game, heading to college in the United States, but he could not have made a better Wimbledon debut, defeating Argentinian former top-30 player Tomas Etcheverry in straight sets.
The 23-year-old will now take on Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli.
The third British man taking to the courts on Thursday is veteran Dan Evans, who is relishing the chance to face Novak Djokovic.
Dan Evans celebrates beating Jay Clarke (John Walton/PA)
The 35-year-old knows the end of his career is approaching and is trying to soak up the experience.
'Normally I tend not to bring a lot of people to the tournaments,' said Evans, who defeated compatriot Jay Clarke in round one.
'But this year I've decided to have a lot of family and friends – well, friends. My dad thought a round of golf was more important. I might not want him to come now.'
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The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Jack Draper pinpoints areas for improvement after Wimbledon disappointment
Although he won his first ATP Tour title on grass in Stuttgart last summer, his defeat by Marin Cilic on Thursday meant he has still not been beyond the second round at Wimbledon, making it comfortably his worst grand slam. Upset alert 🚨 Croatia's Marin Cilic stuns Jack Draper 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to knock the No.4 seed out of The Championships 2025 😮#Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2025 'I think there's a bit of a misconception, just because I'm a 6ft 4in lefty, I must be incredible on grass,' said Draper. 'I obviously won Stuttgart, but I haven't had loads of experience on it. 'I don't think I played incredibly well on it before. Obviously I've never gone past the second round here. Some players find it harder than others. I'm obviously very determined to change that and make it a surface that is going to be great for me. 'I feel like that's the way with every surface. When you have the mindset of, even though I don't feel comfortable, I'm going to make it happen, I'm going to make it better for me, it usually works. That's what I did on the clay this year. 'It's just hard to find that time because we don't have a lot of time to play on grass throughout the year.' Jack Draper leaves Court One (Ben Whitley/PA) It was very evident that Cilic, a former finalist at the All England Club, was much more at home on the surface than Draper, who looked rushed and was left scrambling around behind the baseline while his opponent dictated most of the baseline points. 'I think the hole in my forehand showed up, for sure,' said Draper. 'I wasn't able to deal with his pace of ball into my forehand. I was over-spinning a lot. 'I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand, when I have more time, it's a lot easier for me because I can create the speed and the spin that I want, and the effectiveness of that. 'Obviously movement could have been better. There's many areas of my game which I still really, really need to work on to be the player I want to be. 'I want to feel like everything in my game is secure. I think that's what you see with the top, top guys. They're so consistent all the time because there's no holes in their game.' Draper's improvements this season, which have carried him to a first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and a top-four ranking, have been credited partly to him finding a balance to his game. But, speaking on the BBC, John McEnroe urged Draper to stand further up the court, saying: 'He's done great, he's got to four in the world. If I was looking from a distance at Jack, I was like, 'Why's he standing so far back all the time?' 'Especially on hard courts, even clay. Is he quick enough to cover, is he fit enough do that consistently? Is that what he wants to do, to wear people down that way? 'The forehand's gotten way bigger. To me, at Wimbledon, you've got to cut off some of these angles, because it's tougher to make those quick first steps.' Jack Draper speaks about the "misconception" around him 🗣#Wimbledon — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 3, 2025 Draper will now turn his attention to the North American hard court season, where his big breakthrough came with a run to the US Open semi-finals last year. In New York, the Londoner was the outsider, whereas now he is the big name to be shot at, and both Cilic and Alexander Bublik at the French Open produced inspired performances to upset him. 'I've got to expect that now,' he said. 'Obviously I've got a bit of a target on my back with my ranking. 'Are they playing that well because I'm dropping the ball short, I'm not doing enough with the ball? That's what good players do, they punish you.'
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Jack Draper pinpoints areas for improvement after Wimbledon disappointment
The assumption is that British players have an advantage on grass but for Draper it is the opposite, with the 23-year-old admitting he has not yet worked out how to maximise his abilities on the surface. Although he won his first ATP Tour title on grass in Stuttgart last summer, his defeat by Marin Cilic on Thursday meant he has still not been beyond the second round at Wimbledon, making it comfortably his worst grand slam. Upset alert 🚨 Croatia's Marin Cilic stuns Jack Draper 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to knock the No.4 seed out of The Championships 2025 😮#Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2025 'I think there's a bit of a misconception, just because I'm a 6ft 4in lefty, I must be incredible on grass,' said Draper. 'I obviously won Stuttgart, but I haven't had loads of experience on it. 'I don't think I played incredibly well on it before. Obviously I've never gone past the second round here. Some players find it harder than others. I'm obviously very determined to change that and make it a surface that is going to be great for me. 'I feel like that's the way with every surface. When you have the mindset of, even though I don't feel comfortable, I'm going to make it happen, I'm going to make it better for me, it usually works. That's what I did on the clay this year. 'It's just hard to find that time because we don't have a lot of time to play on grass throughout the year.' It was very evident that Cilic, a former finalist at the All England Club, was much more at home on the surface than Draper, who looked rushed and was left scrambling around behind the baseline while his opponent dictated most of the baseline points. 'I think the hole in my forehand showed up, for sure,' said Draper. 'I wasn't able to deal with his pace of ball into my forehand. I was over-spinning a lot. 'I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand, when I have more time, it's a lot easier for me because I can create the speed and the spin that I want, and the effectiveness of that. 'Obviously movement could have been better. There's many areas of my game which I still really, really need to work on to be the player I want to be. 'I want to feel like everything in my game is secure. I think that's what you see with the top, top guys. They're so consistent all the time because there's no holes in their game.' Draper's improvements this season, which have carried him to a first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and a top-four ranking, have been credited partly to him finding a balance to his game. But, speaking on the BBC, John McEnroe urged Draper to stand further up the court, saying: 'He's done great, he's got to four in the world. If I was looking from a distance at Jack, I was like, 'Why's he standing so far back all the time?' 'Especially on hard courts, even clay. Is he quick enough to cover, is he fit enough do that consistently? Is that what he wants to do, to wear people down that way? 'The forehand's gotten way bigger. To me, at Wimbledon, you've got to cut off some of these angles, because it's tougher to make those quick first steps.' Jack Draper speaks about the "misconception" around him 🗣#Wimbledon — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 3, 2025 Draper will now turn his attention to the North American hard court season, where his big breakthrough came with a run to the US Open semi-finals last year. In New York, the Londoner was the outsider, whereas now he is the big name to be shot at, and both Cilic and Alexander Bublik at the French Open produced inspired performances to upset him. 'I've got to expect that now,' he said. 'Obviously I've got a bit of a target on my back with my ranking. 'Are they playing that well because I'm dropping the ball short, I'm not doing enough with the ball? That's what good players do, they punish you.'
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Jack Draper pinpoints areas for improvement after Wimbledon disappointment
Jack Draper came into Wimbledon hoping to follow in Andy Murray's footsteps as a home champion but departs the All England Club with a lengthy to-do list. The assumption is that British players have an advantage on grass but for Draper it is the opposite, with the 23-year-old admitting he has not yet worked out how to maximise his abilities on the surface. Although he won his first ATP Tour title on grass in Stuttgart last summer, his defeat by Marin Cilic on Thursday meant he has still not been beyond the second round at Wimbledon, making it comfortably his worst grand slam. Upset alert 🚨 Croatia's Marin Cilic stuns Jack Draper 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to knock the No.4 seed out of The Championships 2025 😮 #Wimbledon — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2025 'I think there's a bit of a misconception, just because I'm a 6ft 4in lefty, I must be incredible on grass,' said Draper. 'I obviously won Stuttgart, but I haven't had loads of experience on it. 'I don't think I played incredibly well on it before. Obviously I've never gone past the second round here. Some players find it harder than others. I'm obviously very determined to change that and make it a surface that is going to be great for me. 'I feel like that's the way with every surface. When you have the mindset of, even though I don't feel comfortable, I'm going to make it happen, I'm going to make it better for me, it usually works. That's what I did on the clay this year. 'It's just hard to find that time because we don't have a lot of time to play on grass throughout the year.' It was very evident that Cilic, a former finalist at the All England Club, was much more at home on the surface than Draper, who looked rushed and was left scrambling around behind the baseline while his opponent dictated most of the baseline points. 'I think the hole in my forehand showed up, for sure,' said Draper. 'I wasn't able to deal with his pace of ball into my forehand. I was over-spinning a lot. 'I think a lot of my success this year with my forehand, when I have more time, it's a lot easier for me because I can create the speed and the spin that I want, and the effectiveness of that. 'Obviously movement could have been better. There's many areas of my game which I still really, really need to work on to be the player I want to be. 'I want to feel like everything in my game is secure. I think that's what you see with the top, top guys. They're so consistent all the time because there's no holes in their game.' Draper's improvements this season, which have carried him to a first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and a top-four ranking, have been credited partly to him finding a balance to his game. But, speaking on the BBC, John McEnroe urged Draper to stand further up the court, saying: 'He's done great, he's got to four in the world. If I was looking from a distance at Jack, I was like, 'Why's he standing so far back all the time?' 'Especially on hard courts, even clay. Is he quick enough to cover, is he fit enough do that consistently? Is that what he wants to do, to wear people down that way? 'The forehand's gotten way bigger. To me, at Wimbledon, you've got to cut off some of these angles, because it's tougher to make those quick first steps.' Jack Draper speaks about the "misconception" around him 🗣 #Wimbledon — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 3, 2025 Draper will now turn his attention to the North American hard court season, where his big breakthrough came with a run to the US Open semi-finals last year. In New York, the Londoner was the outsider, whereas now he is the big name to be shot at, and both Cilic and Alexander Bublik at the French Open produced inspired performances to upset him. 'I've got to expect that now,' he said. 'Obviously I've got a bit of a target on my back with my ranking. 'Are they playing that well because I'm dropping the ball short, I'm not doing enough with the ball? That's what good players do, they punish you.'
