Andy Roddick outlines the ‘biggest improvement’ he’s seen in Jack Draper ahead of Wimbledon

Already he has reached the fourth round of two Grand Slam events too, and is poised to be a genuine contender for the Wimbledon title at the start of next month.

Few could have predicted this kind of rise two years ago, and Roddick has praised the 23-year-old for the way in which he’s turned his career around.

Andy Roddick praises Jack Draper for big improvement

Speaking about Jack Draper’s dogged Queen’s win over Popyrin just yesterday, Roddick told Tennis Channel Live: ‘Popyrin can play on this surface too, has a sneaky serve, can hit it all ways. We see them pop out wide. 

‘There, a dangerous customer that no one is going to want to see in the early rounds, but these are the kind of hustle points that Jack Draper’s been winning. He grinds to just get that return back.

‘And Draper is not scared to go the distance in these matches. Now. Fitness is not a concern, but also, this is where he’s gotten better.

‘Second round, under threat, under siege. That backhand he might have wanted to hit a little bit better. Popyrin can move that forehand from the middle of the court.

‘But Draper is so match tough right now, Steve, makes that return, puts it in play, and then this ball coming up is not a shot that he hit with confidence two years ago. Backhand up the line in motion. And then Popyrin, listen, you can lean for that slice serve all you want. Sometimes they just hit the side wall before the back wall.

‘Great closing two points there for Draper.’

What makes this even more impressive is that Draper revealed he has been suffering from a slight injury, reinforcing his mental fortitude.

Jack Draper backed to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon

Then seeking to emphasise just how far Draper has come, the former world number one insisted he is next in line to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner, potentially as soon as Wimbledon.

Roddick continued: ‘The backhand is not a liability anymore. Can he compete? Is he fit to go, you know, seven matches, best to five sets? I think he is.

‘You know, listen, we could be wrong, but not by much, right? Draper is in the next conversation [to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner], and he can disrupt the field.

‘And what he’s done, when you can grind through second and third round matches without your best stuff like he did today, you give yourself a chance to get to your best up like quarter, semis. That is the biggest improvement that we’ve seen in Jack Draper over the last year.’

Draper’s results in 2025 have been the best of his young career thus far, as he only seems to grow in stature, confidence, quality and physicality.

Many have commented on his musculature, but it’s his ability to grind deep into matches that is so transformed.

His mindset is refreshed and he seems ready to challenge for the elite honours, once again giving British tennis a true contender to try and upset the established dominance.