Jack Draper looks set to close in on the top ten of the ATP Rankings for the first time in his career in 2025 and now he has made a move that could take him to the next level.
British No 1 Draper has enjoyed a thrilling year of progress, winning his first two titles on the ATP Tour and reaching the semi-finals of the US Open.
That progress saw him finish at No 15 in the end-of-year rankings, with the top ten in touching distance if he starts the new year in good form.
Now it has emerged that Draper is set to shake up his pre-season schedule after the Daily Mail reported he is planning to spend some time training with Carlos Alcaraz at his Spanish base during the off-season.
That would be a shrewd move for both Alcaraz and Draper, with the big-serving Brit giving the French Open and Wimbledon champion a chance to train with one of the biggest servers in the game at a time when his biggest rivals Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev are taking their service games to the next level.
From Draper’s perspective, it would allow him to train with the player beat in such an impressive fashion on a grass court at the Queen’s Club last June.
One issue that continues to trip up Draper is his struggle to maintain his energy levels in warm conditions, with his defeat against Jannik Sinner in the US Open semi-finals affected by his fading physical conditioning in New York.
Training with Alcaraz in what should be warm conditions in Spain would be a good way to build up his body for what is to come in Australia in January, as he accepts he needs to push himself further to reach the top tier of the game.
“I push my body to the limit all the time in training and in my mindset. I don’t have to worry about sort of not doing enough because I am, which points to the fact that a lot of issues I have are mental,” said Draper.
“I am going to have to work on that and really understand myself better in order to compete at these highest levels.
“I’m sure I’ll figure out all these problems with my team, but yeah, it’s good that I’m sort of not the finished article yet.”
He added: “I think working on the mental side of the game is a huge thing.
“I’ll definitely just look into that side a little bit more. You know, I’m constantly working on my breathing, working on things.”
Former British No 1 Tim Henman suggest Draper’s physical issues are not necessarily due to fitness, as he argued the pressure of the moment can contribute to his fatigue.
“It ends up being a physical issue for Jack, but for me, his issues are more mental,” Sky Sports Tennis analyst Henman told Tennis365.
“He hasn’t played too many long five-set matches in the Slams and I spoke to him after Australia and he said about the stress and anxiety you feel in those long matches.
“I just feel Jack is moving in the right direction. His game is getting stronger, he’s getting better physically and it’s a case of staying patient with him.
“Jack is still very young. He is already in the top 30, there is no reason why he can’t finish the year inside the top 20 of the rankings and that would be a great platform to build on.
“The outcome is always important for a professional athlete, but the process of getting there is just as important. If you do the process right, the outcome should go in your favour.”
Draper’s eagerness to train with Alcaraz suggests he is setting his sights high for the New Year and after a stellar 12 months of progress, he is a player to watch heading into 2025