Jack Draper Delivers Powerful Words for ‘Incredible’ Andy Murray After Winning First Match on his Court

Jack Draper is set to take the British expectations on his shoulders at Wimbledon like Andy Murray before.

Jack Draper Delivers Powerful Words for ‘Incredible’ Andy Murray After Winning First Match on his Court

Andy Murray, Jack Draper (Image via X/aniuska, #AusOpen)

After his opening win at Queen’s Club, Jack Draper gave his thoughts on Andy Murray during his on-court interview. The match took place on the newly-named Andy Murray Arena, a tribute to the British tennis legend. Draper expressed admiration for Murray and acknowledged his impact on British tennis.

Murray holds the record for the most titles at Queen’s Club, having won the event five times. His success at the tournament has made him a key figure in its history. The renaming of the court honors his contributions to the sport in the UK. He said in his post-match press conference:

Can’t get rid of this guy. Andy is an unbelievable guy. Someone I’m incredibly inspired by. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. I remember coming here when I was younger, watching him winning these tournaments. Just an incredible person to get to know. I definitely miss seeing him on the tour…Thank you, Andy. This court deserves to be named after you for sure.

Draper began his grass-court season aiming for a strong performance. His opening win at Queen’s was an important step in building momentum ahead of Wimbledon. As Britain’s top-ranked player, Draper carries high expectations this summer.

The 2025 season has been Draper’s best so far. He broke into the top ten of the ATP Rankings and won Indian Wells, the biggest title of his career. He followed that by reaching the final of the Madrid Open, pushing his ranking to a career-high of world No. 4.

Jack Draper reveals injury scare at Queens

British star Jack Draper has shared that he faced two injury scares before his first match at Queen’s Club. He revealed that he took a “heavy fall” during preparations for the tournament. Despite the setback, Draper was able to compete and performed well in his opener. He added:

Last week in training I had a little niggle. I had to have a break for a couple of days to see it through. I was training on the courts here and took a really heavy fall. I was limping around for a day or so. But it wasn’t anything that was going to keep me from playing. I got out there today and I felt really good. I’m happy with that. Really happy, because, yeah, you never know how serious something is going to be.

Jack Draper Indian Wells 2025
Jack Draper (via Instagram @jackdraper)

The British No. 1 is seeded second at the HSBC Championships. He looked sharp in his first match, securing a 6-3, 6-1 victory over American Jenson Brooksby. The win sets a strong tone for what many expect to be a successful grass-court run.

Draper has had a strong year so far. He broke into the ATP top four and won his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. He also spoke about the pressure of playing in front of home fans. Draper said he’s not focused on the growing hype around him. Instead, he’s keeping calm and staying focused, despite being seen as one of Britain’s top hopes for success at Queen’s and Wimbledon.

Jack Draper battles for Wimbledon No.4 seed

Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper are key contenders at the Queen’s Club this week. Both players are seeded in the top three, with Draper at No. 2 and Fritz at No. 3. The tournament carries major importance, as it will determine who secures the final top-four seeding for Wimbledon. This battle is especially intense with just a small margin separating the two in the rankings.

Jack Draper (via X/ATP)
Jack Draper (via X/ATP)

Fritz enters Queen’s with a clear lead. He gained 500 points last week by winning the Stuttgart Open, where he didn’t lose serve. Draper, on the other hand, dropped 250 points by failing to defend his 2024 Stuttgart title. As a result, Draper slipped from world No. 4 to No. 6, while Fritz climbed from No. 7 to No. 4.

Fritz now has 4,735 ranking points. Novak Djokovic sits in fifth with 4,630, and Draper is sixth with 4,550. Both Fritz and Draper have 100 points to defend at Queen’s from their 2024 quarter-final appearances. Because of his current lead, Fritz cannot drop below Djokovic in the rankings this week.

For Draper to reclaim the No. 4 spot, he must reach at least the semi-finals. A semi-final run would give him 200 points, bringing his total to 4,650. However, Fritz still holds a 185-point advantage, making him the favorite to claim the final top-four seeding for Wimbledon.

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz’s Coach Issues Warning to the Roland Garros Champion About his Intentions for the Grass Court Season