Jack Draper’s meteoric rise has seen him grow into the shining light of British tennis, and thus expectations to perform at Wimbledon this year are high.
This pressure is a privilege, as Billie Jean King famously says, but that does not make it an easy burden to carry.
And, speaking ahead of his first-round match on Tuesday, the 23-year-old has sought to emphasise just how much hard work has gone into his ascent to the apex of men’s tennis.
In doing so, he wanted to correct a few people’s opinions about the nature of the tennis calendar.
Jack Draper seeks to correct common Wimbledon misconception
Chatting with Wimbledon’s official website, he was asked his thoughts on returning to the All-England Club, and the pressures that might come with that.
Especially now that he’s the British number one, and a top-four seed too.
Jack Draper admitted: ‘It’s an adjustment, adapting.
‘People, when they think of tennis sometimes, they think it’s just Wimbledon or just the Grand Slams. We’re playing week in, week out, we’re training all the time you’re giving your all on a daily basis and even though I play a sport that I love and there’s so many amazing things that come with it, you know, it’s very mentally taxing.
‘It’s important to just keep my feet on the ground and keep perspective of how I’m doing, because that’s the other thing, it’s tough to realise the progress that you’re making when you’re playing all the time.’
Then turning his attention to Tuesday’s match against Sebastian Baez, Draper continued: ’I’m focusing on my first round, Tuesday.
‘I respect everyone in this draw, everyone playing in Wimbledon is here off their own merit. They’ve worked for years to get here, they’re good players, and so it’s important to recognise that and respect every opponent you have, and that’s definitely my mindset when I go into matches.
‘I know that I have to fight for every point to deserve a place in the next round.’
When are the British players playing at Wimbledon?
Monday and Tuesday mark the commencement of this year’s Wimbledon, and with it, all of the first-round matches will therefore be played.
Today will see Arthur Fery face Alexei Popyrin, Billy Harris take on a lucky loser after Hubert Hurkacz pulled out of Wimbledon, Henry Searle play Ethan Quinn and Oliver Tarvet meets with Leandro Riedi.
Also, stars like Jacob Fearnley and Cam Norrie get their campaigns underway against Joao Fonseca and Roberto Bautista Agut, with Oliver Crawford rounding off the men’s action on Monday against Mattia Bellucci.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Katie Boulter faces Paula Badosa in one of the best first-round matches, whilst Emma Raducanu will play fellow Brit Mimi Xu.
Hannah Klugman has the seeded Peyton Stearns, whilst Mika Stojsavljevic also has an American in Ashlyn Krueger.
Harriet Dart and Sonay Kartal will play Dalma Gálfi and Jelena Ostapenko respectively, in the last of all of Monday’s action for the Brits.
That leaves Jack Draper, Fran Jones, Heather Watson, Jodie Burrage, Jack Pinnington Jones, Jay Clarke, Dan Evans, Johannus Monday and George Loffhagen all scheduled to play on Tuesday.
The full Wimbledon draw for British players can be found here.
