Former Grand Slam champion Juan Martín del Potro has publicly voiced his belief that Britain’s rising star Jack Draper possesses the talent to challenge the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but he cautioned that the young left‑hander must first regain full confidence in his physical health. Del Potro, who lifted the US Open trophy in 2009, underscored that Draper’s path to the elite tier will be defined not just by raw skill, but by consistency, fitness and the ability to manage the pressure that comes with performing on tennis’s biggest stages.
Del Potro’s own career was marred by chronic wrist and knee problems, forcing him to retire in 2022 after a series of setbacks that prevented him from staying at the top of the game for longer than he would have liked. His experience, he explained, gives him a unique perspective on what it takes for a player to succeed when the body does not cooperate. "A player can have all the technique in the world, but if the body refuses to respond at the required intensity, the career stalls," he said during a recent interview tied to his involvement with the Roland‑Garros Junior Series in Brazil. Jack Draper, currently positioned at world No.
28, has already shown flashes of brilliance that hint at a future Grand Slam contender. After a six‑month layoff caused by a bone‑stress injury in his left arm, he returned to competition in February and promptly announced his intent to "work my way out of this" via a candid social‑media post following a mid‑match retirement at the Barcelona Open.
That statement reflected both his determination and the reality that his body has been under constant strain. Since his comeback, Draper has compiled a mixed record. He produced a stunning upset over Novak Djokovic during his title defence at Indian Wells, propelling him into the quarter‑finals and earning widespread acclaim. Yet the momentum was halted at the Miami Open where he fell in straight sets to Reilly Opelka.
Subsequent weeks saw him miss the Monte‑Carlo Masters entirely, retire in a deciding set against Tomas Martín Etcheverry in Barcelona, and withdraw from the Mutua Madrid Open due to a knee issue. These episodes highlight the fragile balance between talent and physical resilience that Del Potro emphasized. The British player has also spoken openly about his battles with anxiety on court, which have manifested as occasional bouts of nausea and have compounded his injury woes, including problems with his hip, knee and arm. Such mental health challenges are increasingly recognized as part of the modern athlete’s toolkit, and Draper’s willingness to discuss them publicly is a positive sign for his long‑term development.
Looking ahead, Draper hopes to return to the Madrid Open, a tournament where he made a breakthrough last year by reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final on clay. Although he ultimately lost a hard‑fought three‑set final to Casper Ruud, the performance demonstrated that he can adapt his game to the slower red‑dirt surface and compete against seasoned veterans.
Del Potro reflected on his own injury‑laden career, noting that the most challenging period was coping with constant physical setbacks. Yet he also expressed a certain pride in having faced the sport’s "Big Three"—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic—on a regular basis. He stressed that injuries are an inevitable part of tennis and that a player must surround himself with a comprehensive support team: a dedicated coach, a physical trainer, a physiotherapist and a mental‑performance specialist. "When the bad moments come, the faster you can get out of it, the better," he said.
The broader British tennis landscape also features other notable names. Cameron Norrie, currently the British No. 1, has posted solid results this season, including a quarter‑final appearance at Indian Wells and a third‑round run at the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Katie Boulter secured a spot in the main draw after Emma Raducanu and Sonay Kartal withdrew due to illness and injury, respectively. The upcoming Madrid Open will run for two weeks, with main‑draw action commencing on Tuesday, 21 April, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. The women's singles final is scheduled for Saturday, 2 May, followed by the men's final on Sunday, 3 May.
Day sessions begin at 9 a.m., while evening sessions start at 5:30 p.m. An additional attraction this year is a temporary clay court installed at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium—the home of Real Madrid—from 23 to 30 April, allowing top players to practice under conditions that mimic the tournament’s courts.
For fans, the ATP and WTA tours will be accessible via Sky Sports or streamed through NOW and the Sky Sports app, offering subscribers more than 50% additional live sport coverage at no extra charge. This expanded access reflects the growing demand for tennis content and provides a platform for emerging talents like Draper to reach a wider audience.
In summary, del Potro believes that Draper has the technical arsenal to stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the sport’s current leaders, but his future success hinges on achieving a stable, injury‑free body and the mental confidence that comes with it. With the right support structure, consistent training, and a bit of luck in staying healthy, the British left‑hander could very well become a regular contender at the sport's most prestigious events.