US OPEN

August 31, 2024

Jack Draper

Press Conference

J. DRAPER/B. van de Zandschulp

6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jack, your thoughts on the match, please.

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I thought it was good in general. Pretty solid. You know, I think the first set I was not serving amazingly well, but the rest of my game was pretty solid.

I had chances, you know, where he had break points, and I saved them and played some good tennis. Then I think I got better as the match went on.

I was a bit lethargic at the start. I thought it was tough. I'm still learning how to play five sets almost. Knowing that I don't have to come out and be fully energized, I have to kind of pace myself in these matches because it is potentially a very long match.

But I thought I did a really good job overall, and my performance and everything I think got better as the match went on.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously the previous round Botic winning was one of the biggest surprises we've seen in a long time. Is it mentally difficult when people are saying, Oh, wow, what great chance that means for you?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, definitely. To be honest, I wasn't really thinking about it. I think I've learned through playing lots of matches now on the tour against really good players that, you know, I understand that even though Carlos is obviously a champion and an amazing player, I wasn't thinking about playing him. I was just thinking about my recovery.

I watched that match obviously, and I know that on their day someone like a Botic is extremely dangerous. I wasn't putting it past him to go out there and potentially have an upset against Carlos.

But, you know, I think it is sometimes difficult when people are saying, oh, like, he should definitely win this match. He's just beaten No. 2 in the world who's won multiple Grand Slams this year. He obviously played a really good match and can definitely beat me too.

It is difficult, but at the same time it was a good opportunity for me to go out there and play a solid match and know that also it's not easy for him as well. Having just had probably the biggest win of his career on the biggest stage in the world and have to back it up again.

It was a good match from my side. I'm happy with the way I've dealt with the situation and my performance in general.

Q. I just wanted to ask you how you feel now compared to when you played at this stage a year ago, I guess like physically and also just thinking about dealing with the big occasion, that sort of thing?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, I feel very different to last year. I think I barely played any tennis in the year, struggling with injuries all the time, and then obviously came here. I think I was still sort of very nervous and unsure before matches. You know, whether I would get through this one. Am I going to cramp in this one? Am I going to break down physically in this one, get injured or something like this?

I was still really struggling with the shoulder injury when I played here last year. I feel very different now. I'm not waking up every day worried about playing five sets. I have so much more confidence in my mind and my body through experiences of playing on the tour now this year consistently.

That's the thing. It's weird. It kind of feels like I've played a lot of matches, but at the same time this is my first proper year on tour, and I'm learning and understanding myself better all the time.

So I think that will be the same next year when I come here. I'll be a lot more, you know, just a better all-around player mentally, physically, emotionally, everything.

So I do feel very different to last year and proud of my progress since then.

Q. I'm curious at what point actually this year did you start to feel confidence in your body and that you weren't worrying about whether you are going to break down in each tournament?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, there was a stage in my tennis, it was difficult because I've always been someone who works extremely hard. It was kind of my injuries stemmed from potentially overwork, but also, you know, maybe not doing the right things for what I needed.

I worked hard with trainers and a coach I had in the past. We worked insanely hard, but I broke down physically because of it. So it was always hard to see, like, I don't work hard enough, whatever. That wasn't really the case. It was kind of like I just wasn't doing the right work.

Ever since I got back with my old fitness trainer, Steven Kotze, who's one of the best fitness trainers in the world. He's worked with the likes of Andy and all the Brits players, Dan and Kyle.

Yeah, ever since I got back with him, I think I learned as well from the injuries that I'd had. I keep on having the same consistent injuries with my ab and my hip. As soon as I sorted them out and built a foundation around my physicality, then I could really push.

I think it's not really did I feel at a certain point. It was more I'm just consistently developing it all the time, and I feel better all the time because the work I'm doing, but also the experiences of playing these matches and competing all the time.

Q. Your dad was a good player. Do you remember when you first beat him?

JACK DRAPER: My dad?

Q. Yeah.

JACK DRAPER: I don't know. He played a lot of club tennis, so I was always very lucky to have my dad and my mom, my brother who could play really good tennis.

I think with a lot of families, a lot of kids that are really good players, they had to go to the academy to play, whereas for me it was my mom or dad or brother, you know, I could get them out and I could play.

Yeah, it probably wasn't until I was about 12, 13 where I could beat my dad. For my brother it was a little bit later.

Q. Was it one of those things where you feel guilty about doing it?

JACK DRAPER: No, I think it's amazing to have a sporty family because from young you're sort of in that competitive environment, especially having an older brother as well who has always beaten you, whatever. Whether it's ping pong or tennis or anything, you know, it really sort of builds that competitor in you until you beat them.

But, yeah, for instance, my brother, I think I played him once, and he beat me. He's going to always have that over me.

Q. I was wondering if you could talk about the next match for you, what that match will be like for you. Obviously you played on clay earlier on in the year, didn't you?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, Machac for me is -- he's a really, really good player. He has top results. On his day when he is playing amazingly well, he can beat pretty much anyone.

I've been watching his opening rounds here, and he seems like he's really dialed in, not missing many balls at all, and playing great tennis. You know, that matchup is going to be very difficult.

We've played a few times now. The last couple of times he's beaten me, but I felt like in those matches I've had lots of opportunities and just hasn't quite gone my way in the moment.

Also, I feel like I'm in a really good place at the moment, and I'm also playing some good tennis. You know, I know that match will be tough, but I fully believe that if I can just get out there and play some tennis that I know I'm able to, then there's no reason why I can't come through that one.

Q. You mentioned before your reaction to Carlos going out. Obviously Novak also went out. That's something that generally hasn't happened this early in a big event. Is that something that you noticed the guys talking about in the locker room? How are people reacting to that? How sort of weird is it?

JACK DRAPER: Yeah, I mean, it is obviously weird, but you know, I think both of them obviously played the Olympic final. I think that's taken a lot out of them. It's taken a lot out of everyone, but they obviously made the finals, and it was emotional for both of them. Obviously Novak, that was probably his biggest goal, and to come through that is obviously emotionally challenging to sort of have a rest and then come here.

Same with Carlos as well. You know, he's achieved so much this year winning the French, Wimbledon. I'm not surprised that they're probably feeling really tired and emotionally a bit drained. But I watched both the matches, and I thought Botic played an incredibly high level of tennis against Alcaraz.

Even Popyrin last night, he won Montreal, and again, I watched the opening two sets before I went to bed. I didn't honestly feel like Djokovic was playing incredibly badly. Maybe his serve was a bit below par, but I felt like Popyrin played an incredible match as well.

There's a lot of players on the tour at the moment who are really dangerous and on their day can play an amazing match against the best players in the world.