British number one Jack Draper has blossomed into a main contender for the Wimbledon title, following a meteoric rise up the rankings over the last 18 months.
The British number one, now ranked number four in the world, will be hoping for a strong showing at 2025’s third Grand Slam despite being given a tough Wimbledon draw
Draper, who recently reached the semi-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships before being defeated by Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka, recently revealed he was suffering from illness at Queen’s.
The Brit, who is still relatively new to the rigours of the ATP Tour, discussed the biggest challenge tennis players face while on tour.
Jack Draper says the relentlessness of the ATP Tour is the biggest challenge for players
Speaking at a Wimbledon press conference ahead of his first-round match against Sebastian Baez, Draper was candid about the challenges players face on the ATP Tour.
Draper said: “I think the ATP definitely have got systems in place to help players from a mental side. I think each Federation maybe has people as well that help.
“I think the biggest challenge of being a tennis player is the constant relentlessness of the tour. I kind of sit here and people think tennis is all Wimbledon on the outside, but the truth is it never stops.”
Wimbledon will mark Draper’s ninth tournament of the year so far. He has enjoyed an excellent set of results in 2025, having won a maiden Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells. He also reached the final of the Madrid Open, before losing to Casper Ruud in three sets.
His stellar performances have seen him overtake the likes of Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev in the rankings, while he still pursues Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
Despite noting the challenges of the ATP Tour, Draper was quick to acknowledge how ‘lucky’ he is to be playing on the tour.
Draper continued: “And so yeah, you have to be on top of your game, you have to be on top of your mentality, you have to stay injury free and that comes with a lot of stress and pressure, I guess, because sometimes you want to just put your foot off the gas and take a break, but you can’t in a sport like tennis, it’s very difficult.
“So I say that’s the most challenging thing about being on the tour. But then again, it comes with just incredible benefits, like playing a sport you love, earning great money, being around people that you want to spend time with and even though it has a lot of challenges, I’m very grateful to live the life I live.
“I think I’m extremely lucky in so many ways.”
Jack Draper’s 2024 Wimbledon performance
Despite his excellent form over the last year, one of Draper’s most disappointing tournaments was last year’s Wimbledon Championships.
The Brit won his first match against Sweden’s Elias Ymer, coming through a brutal encounter 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3.
However, Draper’s skillset was outshone by veteran compatriot Cameron Norrie in round two. Draper lost to the former Wimbledon semi-finalist 6-7 4-6 6-7.
Seeded 28th at last year’s Wimbledon, the Brit has since skyrocketed up the rankings to secure the number four seed at this year’s Championships.
Draper is scheduled to play Argentinian Sebastian Baez in the first round of Wimbledon on July 1.
