Jack Draper has been labelled as Great Britain’s next hope on the men’s side after the departure of tennis legend Andy Murray.
The 23-year-old, who has skyrocketed to a career-high of number four in the world, has demonstrated excellent capabilities on the grass surface and is still the only man to beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Queen’s Club Championships.
Draper is a Wimbledon contender and has been a high-flyer on the ATP Tour over the past year, winning the Stuttgart Open and Vienna Open in 2024 and Indian Wells in March 2025.
However, there is another British player who has gone under the radar ahead of Wimbledon and could cause some big shocks when the tournament comes around.
Jacob Fearnley will be a major threat at Wimbledon
Ranked at 60 in the world, Jacob Fearnley has proved he can mix it with the best on the ATP Tour.
The 23-year-old’s most recent performance only serves to demonstrate that he is headed for the very top, and Wimbledon could be the tournament Fearnley cements his place among the elite.
After ruling himself out of Wimbledon doubles, Fearnley’s full focus will be on the singles tournament.
In the Eastbourne Open first round, Fearnley easily dismantled young Italian star Flavio Cobolli, who has also been tipped for a big future.
Fearnley landed 80 per cent of his first serves and won 75 per cent of his second serve points, waltzing to a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over the Italian. The Brit also hit 21 winners and broke Cobolli four times on his way to victory.
The Brit has recorded various important wins during the 2025 season, including against three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and big-hitting Czech player Tomas Machac. He also reached the Queen’s Club quarter-finals on his first appearance at the tournament.
On Wednesday afternoon, Fearnley faces American Marcos Giron in the next round of the Eastbourne Open.
Fearnley will not be overawed after battling Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon
Wimbledon can be an over-stimulating place for British players. There is constant hustle and bustle across the grounds, and there is always a heightened level of expectation placed on the shoulders of British players when the tournament comes around on the calendar.
However, Fearnley’s appearance at last year’s Wimbledon will give him valuable experience heading into this year’s championships.
Fearnley impressed the Centre Court crowd during a battling display, striking 13 aces during a 3-6 4-6 7-5 5-7 loss.
This experience will have prepared Fearnley for the Wimbledon pressure and give him extra confidence heading into this year’s championships.
