Juan Martin del Potro, a former Grand Slam champion, believes Jack Draper has the potential to rival top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but notes that Draper must first gain confidence in his physical ability to perform at the highest level. According to Del Potro, Draper's journey to success is not just about his talent, but also about consistency, fitness, and managing the pressures of competing on the biggest stages. Del Potro, who won the 2009 US Open, understands the challenges of dealing with injuries, having struggled with wrist and knee problems throughout his career before retiring in 2022. Draper, who has been tipped as a future Grand Slam contender, has faced his own set of challenges, including a bone stress injury in his left arm that kept him out of action for nearly six months.
He made a strong return to competition in February, defeating Novak Djokovic en route to the quarter-finals in his Indian Wells title defence, but then suffered a straight-set loss to Reilly Opelka at the Miami Open. After withdrawing from the Monte-Carlo Masters, Draper retired in the deciding set of his match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open due to a knee injury, and later pulled out of the Mutua Madrid Open. Del Potro, who lost to Andy Murray in the 2016 Olympic men's singles final, acknowledges that Draper's left-handedness gives him an advantage, but also emphasizes the importance of Draper's physical and mental well-being. "As a lefty player, he has an edge over his opponents," Del Potro said.
"Draper is a talented player, but sometimes his body can be his worst enemy, as I experienced throughout my career. However, he is working to build confidence in his physical abilities. "He has the skills to compete at a high level, but occasionally, his body needs to respond to the intense demands of matches and tournaments every week. I believe British tennis is in good hands with Draper." Draper has also struggled with anxiety and has experienced bouts of sickness, as well as injuries to his hip, knee, and arm.
He will aim to return to Madrid, where he reached the final last year, and demonstrate his ability to play on clay. Del Potro, who is involved with the Roland-Garros Junior Series Brazil tournament, reflected on his own experiences with injuries, saying, "Injuries were the toughest part of my career.
I had to deal with them for many years, but I still preferred to compete against the best players, like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, every day. "Injuries are an inherent part of our sport.
As an athlete, you must be prepared for them and build a strong support team, including a physical trainer, physio, and mental coach. When injuries occur, it's crucial to recover quickly and get back to competition." The Madrid Open, which will take place over two weeks, begins on Tuesday, April 21, with the main draw action broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis.
The women's singles final is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, and the men's singles final will follow on Sunday, May 3.