Britain’s Jack Draper has had a remarkable year. The 22-year-old finally had his breakout season in 2024, reaching a career-high singles ranking of 15 in late October. Draper, who was ranked outside the top 60 in 2023, also became British #1 in June, surpassing compatriot Cameron Norrie. His best season to date couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment for British tennis, rising to prominence just as the three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray called it a day on his illustrious career.
Murray’s emotional retirement from professional tennis at the Paris Olympics last summer marked the end of an era for British sport. Over the course of 19 years, the former world #1 cemented his place as one of Great Britain’s greatest-ever athletes in an era defined by the dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. The question on for British tennis fans after Murray’s farewell was who was going to carry the torch? The answer was already taking shape in the form of Draper.
Jack Draper 2024 in review
First tour titles and biggest win by ranking
Draper’s breakout season saw a major career milestone in June, when he won his first ATP title at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart. The Brit defeated former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in a thrilling final, coming from a set down to triumph over the Italian. The maiden title came in his third tour-level final, having had near misses in the finals at the Sofia Open in 2023, and at Adelaide International in January.
Four months later Draper added to his collection by claiming his first ATP 500 title at the Vienna Open in convincing fashion. The British #1 stormed through the draw, dropping just one set over the course of the tournament, and defeated Karen Khachanov in the final 6-4 7-5 to lift the biggest title of his career to date.
Just four days after lifting the trophy in Stuttgart, Draper would also enjoy the biggest win of his career by ranking. Two tour-level titles were huge landmarks for him in 2024, but perhaps the biggest milestone in Draper’s season came at a tournament he wouldn’t go on to win. At Queen’s in June, the newly crowned British #1 toppled recent French Open and soon-to-be Wimbledon champion Alcaraz in straight sets.
Draper ended Alcaraz’s streak of 13 straight wins on grass, defeating the Spaniard 7-6 (7-3) 6-3. It was the most impressive win of the 22-year-olds career, and was rapturously received by the London crowd, who had seen their other home hope Andy Murray hobble off after fove games against Jordan Thompson due to a back injury the day before.
A memorable US Open run
Draper’s record at Grand Slams had been been underwhelming in the early years of his career, and he had never made it out of the second round at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, or Wimbledon, and despite making it to the Round of 16 at the US Open in 2023, the young star had never truly delivered on the biggest stages in world tennis. That all changed at Flushing Meadows in 2024, when at the US Open Draper delivered, by far, his best ever Grand Slam performance.
The Brit cruised his way to the semifinals without dropping a set. Straight-set victories over Zhang Zhizhen and Facundo Diaz Acosta in his first two matches saw Draper make it to the third round of a grand slam for just the third time in his career. His next challenge was Botic van de Zandschulp, who in a shock second round result, disposed of four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. The Dutchman’s momentum from the surprise upset against the Spaniard was no match for Draper’s hot form however, and the Briton came out on top, winning 6-3 6-4 6-2.
Two more straight-set victories against Tomas Machac and 10th seed Alex de Minaur saw Draper reach the US Open semi finals, where he met eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Despite battling hard in pursuit of becoming the first British player to make a Grand Slam final since Andy Murray in 2016, the world #1 proved too strong for Draper, with Sinner bettering him in an exciting, but fairly comfortable match for the Italian.
The run, along with the rest of his 2024 campaign, proved that Draper has what it takes to compete for the grandest prizes in tennis, and with two tour-level titles now under his belt, the British #1 will set his sights on adding an ATP Masters 1000 title, and potentially a Grand Slam to his resume in 2025.
Main photo credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
