Andy Roddick has predicted how far he thinks Jack Draper will go at Wimbledon this year.
As the leading British player on the circuit, his name carries plenty of weight heading into this, his home Grand Slam.
And, this year’s iteration of the event is even more important for the 23-year-old, given its his first where people are expecting him to impress.
Rennae Stubbs predicted how Draper might cope with the pressure, and now Andy Roddick has considered how that might affect his progress at the event.
Andy Roddick predicts Jack Draper’s Wimbledon run
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, he first looked at the early parts of Draper’s Wimbledon draw and deduced: ‘Okay so Draper’s going to roll Baez. Cilic is there but I don’t know what version of him we’re getting. I have Draper…
‘Okay, so I know everyone’s looking at Bublik, and rightfully so. This guy Munar can play on grass. He almost beat Alcaraz in Queen’s. And I’m not gonna pull that upset, but I am gonna put Draper through the fourth round, even with the old Bublik, just because I think Draper’s much more likely to get to the third round.
‘I don’t know who I would choose straight up with Draper and Bublik in a matchup on grass. I think I think that’s a popcorn match. I think Bublik, I think there’s a 30% shot that Munar can take out Bublik first round.
‘We’re going to see Bublik and everyone’s like he’s playing great, put him through. Munar’s not nothing. That’s a rough first-round draw.
‘I just think there’s something there with the energy with Bublik and expectation and the whole thing. So I have Draper over Bublik in the third round. Once it gets to that matchup, I probably won’t know. I’m very confident that Draper gets there and I think Bublik has a bit of a tougher path to get there.
‘That’s a brutal third-round draw, though. That’s maybe the worst third-round floater for any top seed, is Bublik right there. That guy can play on grass. I’ll just tell you that. If he can keep it together and just keep this roll going. Everything he does well translates to grass.
‘And he wants that centre court. He wants to get that crowd. He wants all of that. He’s not scared of that.’
In the end, the former world number one had Draper exiting Wimbledon in the quarter-finals, beaten by none other than Novak Djokovic who he backs to reach the final.
Jack Draper could end Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon career
Although Roddick might be expecting Djokovic to end Jack Draper’s run at Wimbledon this year, should the opposite happen, it might actually make the Brit the man who ended the Serbian’s career at the All-England Club.
After all, at 39 years old, it’s worth wondering when he might call time on a glittering career.
There had been plenty of speculation about Djokovic’s potential retirement around the French Open, with some comments he made after his exit hinting at it being his last appearance at the event.
Hopefully, that is not the case, and we get to see more of the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
But, should Draper defeat him in the quarter-finals this year, it might end up being a historic match depending on what happens after Wimbledon.
