Jack Draper Adds Andy Murray to His Coaching Team for Grass Swing

Injury has been ruining Jack Draper‘s campaigns this season. The Italian Open is underway at the Foro Italico, but the Brit didn’t compete.

Draper, in fact, was last seen in action in the round of 32 of the Barcelona Open. Due to an injury to his knees, he handed the walkover to Tomas Martin Etcheverry after trailing 4-1 in the third set.

Draper will also not be competing in this year’s French Open, where last year, he produced his best performance by reaching the fourth round. He missed the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open, where last year, he lost to three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud. The 24-year-old will be hoping to be back for the grass swing.

Draper has revealed that he has split from his coach Jamie Delgado, who also coached Andy Murray. And now the three-time Grand Slam champion himself has joined Draper’s team for the grass swing.

I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months. He is a world-class coach and a great man. In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the LTA, with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grass-court season.

Jack Draper said in a statement (H/T: Sky Sports)

Draper has so far won three singles titles, two of which he won on hard court and one on grass. That lone grass-court title he clinched at the 2024 Stuttgart Open by defeating Matteo Berrettini.

Last year, Draper played three finals, winning the Indian Wells Masters by beating Holger Rune and losing the Qatar Open and the Madrid Open to Andrey Rublev and Ruud, respectively.

Last year on the grass swing, Draper reached the semifinals of the Queen’s Club Championships and the second round of Wimbledon, losing to Jiri Lehecka and Marin Cilic, respectively. Draper has yet to progress past the second round of the grass-court Major.

Andy Murray on his experience working alongside Novak Djokovic

This will be the second time Andy Murray has guided a player. Murray called time on his career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and about four months later, he joined his old foe Novak Djokovic‘s team as his coach.

The partnership ended after six months before the Geneva Open, where the 24-time Grand Slam champion ended his title drought by defeating Hubert Hurkacz. The only Major Djokovic played under Murray was the Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals, only to hand the walkover to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Murray talked about his experience as Djokovic’s coach. Murray admitted that being a part of Nole’s team made him interested in taking up the coaching job once again.

To be honest, I would coach again. I learned quite a lot, more just about coaching, about how you have to communicate your message to the player you are working with, and how to listen to them. Having kids has helped me with that, learning to be more understanding and seeing something from another person’s point of view and perspective.

Andy Murray said

Djokovic competed at the Italian Open, where he suffered a shock opening-round exit, losing in three sets to Dino Prizmic. It was the third time he played in a tournament this year after the Australian Open and the Indian Wells Masters.

In Indian Wells, Djokovic lost to Jack Draper in the fourth round, but at the Australian Open, he made it to the final after knocking out two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner. In the title clash, however, Djokovic couldn’t go past Carlos Alcaraz.

Also read: Joao Fonseca Holds His Head High Following Shocking Italian Open Exit