Return to Competition and Coaching Setup
An amusing question was posed to Jack Draper, 24, as he embarked on a new chapter in his career at Eastbourne this week. When facing a difficult moment on court, would he ever allow himself to yell at his idol, friend, and new coach Andy Murray?
The idea of shouting expletives at Murray drew laughter from Draper, who then shook his head:
“I don’t think so. Maybe a few times I’ve said something to my team but it’s mainly anger at myself. I’ve never been someone who goes off at my team, because I have a great relationship with all of them. I have too much respect for Andy and Trots [James Trotman, his other coach] to be doing that.”
In his first match after a two-and-a-half month break, Draper’s composure was not seriously challenged. He secured a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over Marcos Giron, marking his first win since beating Novak Djokovic over three months ago at Indian Wells.
Draper has been sidelined for two and a half months due to knee tendonitis, which forced him to retire early from the Barcelona Open during the clay court season. This injury followed a seven-month layoff caused by a bone bruise in his arm. Exactly one year after reaching a career-high ranking of No. 4, Draper started the week ranked No. 160 in the live rankings.
He returned to competition supported by a mix of familiar and new faces in his team. Since Murray prioritizes his family and is unwilling to commit to the extensive travel and time away from home required for full-time coaching, Draper is also working with coaches from the LTA’s men’s programme. His player box at Eastbourne’s Centre Court, located at court level near the grass, included both familiar and new personnel.
James Trotman, Draper’s former coach who now serves as a general LTA coach, sat alongside Murray. The two discussed Draper’s performance throughout the match. Murray was vocal from the box, frequently applauding and providing positive reinforcement. When Draper appeared tentative with his forehand, both coaches encouraged him to swing through the ball.
“Andy is a huge inspiration for me,” Draper said. “It’s comforting to have him there. I don’t feel any kind of added nerves or anything. If anything, it’s a real boost. It’s a real confidence feeling to have him there and also obviously having Trots beside him as well. Those two have got an amazing relationship as well. It just feels very natural to me.”
Match Performance and Physical Condition
Draper’s overall performance was encouraging. Improving his serve has been a major focus as he works to overcome his injury setbacks. To reduce strain on his arm, he initially adopted a platform stance on his serve, with both legs apart to engage the legs more. However, this stance increased pressure on his knee, so he reverted to his previous pinpoint stance, where his back leg slides up to meet his front leg during the motion.
He served effectively for most of the match and encountered no difficulties in his service games until late in the first set at 6-4 and again at 5-3 in the second. Although Draper was less satisfied with his return game, he struck the ball cleanly from both wings, overpowering Giron from the baseline. His movement improved gradually after appearing tentative early in the match.
Most importantly, Draper left the court without experiencing any new pain. He described his body as feeling “good” and “stable” after 85 minutes of play.
“I think there was a long period of time where, whether it be the last competitions I played, the US Open, or earlier on in the year where I’m not at full power, using a different [gut] string, which is much softer for my arm. I feel like I’m back at full power and using the setup that I’m used to. So I think I’ve come on massively and I’ve gained a lot of confidence in where I’m at right now.”
Looking ahead, Draper aims to build momentum as he seeks to realize his significant potential.
