Jack Draper Hails Andy Murray’s Influence After Opening Round Win in Eastbourne

Jack Draper returned to the court at the Eastbourne International after a two-month absence due to injury. Despite some hiccups and rusty signs in his game, the British star claimed his first win upon return, beating American star Marcos Giron to reach the second round of the ATP 250 tournament in England.

The last time Draper picked up a victory on the court was at the Indian Wells Open in March – three months ago – defeating the Serbian legend in three sets. After that, he struggled with form and then suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss almost the entire clay-court season, including the French Open.

Draper has not competed for two months and had to hire former World No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray to his team. He appointed Murray in May, during his period on the sidelines. The partnership was aimed at bolstering Draper’s confidence after several injuries over the last 12 months.

However, Draper, who is ranked World No.160, took to the court in Eastbourne to face Giron. With no expectations on Draper, he played with less pressure and more confidence, dictating the match, especially in the first set. In the second set, he led 5-3 before Giron broke him to force the set to a tiebreak.

Nevertheless, Draper showed mental toughness, maintaining his style and eventually winning the match 6-4, 7-6(5). Murray, who was in Draper’s coaching box, clapped for the former World No.4 after the victory. In Draper’s on-court interview, he admitted that Murray has always been an influence on him since he was a kid and believes in his style of play:

When I was younger, I remember him playing all the big events and being there to watch him. And as I came onto the tour, we spent some time together. And I think we have a great relationship off the court. But also what he brings to me in terms of the tennis as well, he believes in my game. He believes in me as a person. And that’s what I really, really need right now coming back from the year I’ve had.

Draper will pick lessons from Murray’s career as they share similar problems with their body. Murray suffered injuries, underwent more than three operations, but didn’t give up on the court, competing for titles, while challenging the Big 3. He made history by becoming the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon Championships in 2013.

Jack Draper admits he’s back to “full power” after beating Marcos Giron

One of the major issues surrounding Jack Draper’s career has been the constant injury setbacks since June last year. Since being diagnosed with a bone bruise in his arm, he has suffered another arm injury and sometimes also continued to struggle with fitness. Before his match against Marcos Giron, he admitted that he’s seeking to play consistently on the court.

During his win against Giron, he gave an encouraging performance overall. His serve was one of the biggest weapons on the court, as he used it to beat Giron’s aggressive style. Also, he attempted to reduce the load on his arm by switching sides in a platform stance, with both legs apart, on the serve. He revealed during the aforementioned interview that he’s back to full power on the court:

I think there was a long period of time where, whether it be the last competitions I played, the US Open, or earlier on in the year where I’m not at full power, using a different [gut] string, which is much softer for my arm. I feel like I’m back at full power and using the setup that I’m used to. So I think I’ve come on massively and I’ve gained a lot of confidence in where I’m at right now.

Draper will face Jack Pinnington Jones in the next round of the Eastbourne International on Wednesday (June 24). Injuries have seen Draper drop out of the top 150 of the ATP rankings, which means he will not be seeded for Wimbledon and will likely face top players in the early rounds of the event.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Says Early Roland Garros Exit Benefited Him Ahead of Wimbledon: “I Got Some Extra Time”