THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2024

Jack Draper

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/E. Ymer

3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How was it for you, Jack?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, it was good. Obviously different playing on Centre Court. Was expecting Court 2.

I felt like my preparation has been great. Didn't know what to expect from Elias Ymer. He came out firing. He was playing a great level.

I think people have the narrative that only the top hundred players in the world or top-50 players in the world or top-20 players play great tennis. I think the world's top 200 or 300 play unbelievable on their day.

It was a really tough match. He was fired up. He came out firing. I was trying to find my level, trying to find how I could try and understand his game and stuff. I think I did a good job in the end to come through.

Q. Did you feel tight about the scale of the occasion?

JACK DRAPER: No, not really. I think confidence comes from preparation. I feel like I've been building a lot all the time recently on the practice court. I feel like I'm hitting the ball incredibly well. There were certain times in the match today where I think, 'cause you don't often play on big courts, I haven't experienced Centre too much, it's a different feel. It's not like the practice courts at Aorangi.

There were times where I did find it a little bit difficult. I think towards the end, especially when the lights came on, maybe it was getting a bit dark as well at certain points, it was almost, without knowing it, you kind of get used to playing in a certain way, thinking that's normal. When the lights came on, it felt like all of a sudden it was so easy to see the ball. I think my level went massively higher in the fifth set because of that. My serve, my returns, just the way I was playing.

Yeah, happy with the way I played. Privileged obviously to be on Centre.

Q. How different does it feel coming here as a seed, more of a top player, compared to your previous times here?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I've obviously only been here a few times. Made the final of the juniors. Played obviously against Djokovic. I was here for like a day then, so very quick (smiling). Then made second round the time before.

It was funny. Like when I arrived, I went to the changing rooms, there's two changing rooms. I went to the changing rooms upstairs, got my locker, all my stuff, got everything I needed, got everything sorted. That's what you sort of do as a player. You get your locker, you're happy with it.

The guy said, Oh, no, you're in the wrong locker room. Go downstairs because you're seeded now.

No, it was a great feeling to obviously come here seeded, feeling like I belong a little bit more with the top players in the world. That's exactly where I want to be. Yeah, I haven't really thought too much of it. Just been cracking on.

Q. How would you describe your relationship with Cameron?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I think we have huge respect for each other, for one. We've practiced together so many times. Been a part of Davis Cup together.

I wouldn't say we're extremely close, but we definitely support each other. We definitely have a great relationship.

Yeah, I think it's going to be an interesting matchup against him because we both know each other's games. We know each other personally. It's definitely going to be a tough match. I think it's going to bring out a really good level.

Like I said, we know each other so well.

Q. Is there an extra rivalry now between the pair of you, British No. 1 and 2?

JACK DRAPER: I haven't really thought about it too much. Obviously he won't like the fact that I'm British No. 1 now. I'm a lot younger. Obviously got Dan and Cam, Andy might be stopping soon. Dan and Cam definitely probably won't like seeing me being British No. 1. I think that creates a really healthy rivalry and environment.

Like I said, I think we all have great respect for each other. We all want to see each other succeed and do well. It's nice to practice with him when I can. For sure, we're all competitors, we're all individuals. We want to win. We want to do the best we can.

I think it's going to be a really competitive match on Thursday. Yeah, there won't be any love lost, for sure.

Q. Sounds like a thriller Thursday. You and Cam, Katie and Harriet, Andy Murray's last-ever match at Wimbledon, Jacob Fearnley against Djokovic. General election aside, an interesting day.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, it will be. It will be interesting to see what courts we're all on. I think it was obviously tough for Andy to pull out today. That will be great that he's playing doubles with Jamie. Obviously me and Cam's match, that will be a good match to watch.

Jacob playing Djokovic. There's a few guys who have gone to university that I spent lots of times with when I was younger, who were top players in the under-12, under-14, and they just probably weren't ready to go pro. Jacob Fearnley is one of those. Look at his results, he hasn't lost many matches on the 25s and challengers. I think he'll be someone who rises up very quickly in the rankings. I think it will be interesting to see how he gets on against Djokovic. I think he's an amazing player and a good guy, too.

Obviously Katie, playing incredible tennis. She backed up her title at Nottingham, won today. I think it will be a great day, for sure.

Q. Is it difficult this sort of pronounced transition? People with Andy's situation today making it look like a passing of the torch. Is it difficult everyone suddenly looking to you?

JACK DRAPER: 100%. I mean, someone just asked me about it. I think it's going to be tough to emulate what Andy's achieved. It's obviously unbelievable. He's won here a couple times. He's been part of that Big Four era who were just winning constantly, constantly.

I haven't thought about that too much. My goal is to keep on doing the right things, keep on doing what I'm doing. I'm improving fast. I'm gaining confidence all the time.

You can't think about that too much because otherwise it will just drag you down. You have to think about what's important, and that's to wake up every day and try and get better.

I do believe if I do all the right things, if I try and stay mentally solid, physically keep on getting better. I think that showed today. I put in a lot of work to get to the point where five sets is absolutely fine.

If I just keep on improving, keep on doing my best, I don't see why I can't be a great player like Andy has been.

Q. Do you take any interest in politics?

JACK DRAPER: No.

Q. You won't be watching any of the news leading up to Thursday's election?

JACK DRAPER: No. No. I mean, it's a crazy busy time for us tennis players. There's not much TV watching. There's not much time to sort of be thinking about that.

Obviously it's really important, so we'll see.

Q. Has there ever been a time in your career when you weren't laser focused open yourself, when you were looking at other people, comparing yourself to them?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, definitely. I think it's a really tough transition. When you're younger, you're kind of at the juniors, you don't really know what to expect out of the men's game. All of a sudden you go into the futures, the challengers in the middle of nowhere. You're kind of confused. You're thinking, This isn't what I signed up for. You sort of realize how tough it is.

Yeah, at that point my head was all over the place. Like for years I was trying to understand things, I was trying to work on how I could sort of just get better. It was really mentally difficult, especially being sort of my personality as well. I wanted success, but I maybe wasn't sure how hard I wanted to work for it.

Obviously after the experiences I had with certain injuries and certain times where I was told by people how good I could be, but then wasn't fulfilling it, all these sort of things. I had to look at myself certain times and try to understand how I could change.

I think, especially in this sport, it's tough because you have to be so mature so young. If you're not, you're going to struggle.

Yeah, definitely I'd say from last summer, a lot of things changed in my life off the court, on the court, became very, very sort of focused on what I need to do.

Q. You talked a lot about your returning, standing in closer. What has been the challenge of that? What have you had to overcome to be effective at it?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, especially when Wayne came onboard, that's one area that I had to really work on. At the start when I came on tour, guys, they were going to my forehand return. I felt like a lot of times at the start of the year, the end of last year, they're just sliding me wide. I'm hitting my backhand, I'm hitting it well. Guys have good enough forehands just to open out the court.

Also I'm running a hell of a lot more. If you're standing way behind the baseline, it's tough to come up, it's tough to be aggressive.

Yeah, like when Wayne came on, we did a few practice weeks. I tried to do it at the end of the clay court season. That's why I was really poor. I was all over the place. It's tough. You're seeing the court in a completely different way. All of a sudden guys are still serving fast and you haven't got the same time as you used to have. You have to be almost quicker with your reactions. I had to practice it all the time and get it wrong so many times.

I think I'm really proud of the way that's transitioned pretty quickly. I feel like I'm returning well and I feel really comfortable and it's helped me shorten the points as well. I think hopefully improvements that everyone can see.

Q. Did you have to change much in terms of shortening your swing?

JACK DRAPER: You can't take as big of swings. I think Elias was serving big second serves, serving hundred miles an hour on the second serve. You have to be really quick. Andy is especially someone who stands up at the court, so compact with his swing. If you're standing back, you can have a big swing. Not only is the court closer, but you have to shorten your swings, try to use all the pace off the serve instead of creating your own pace.

Definitely a big transition that one.