Jack Draper has claimed “dreams can come true” after defying the odds to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
The British No.1 will face Aussie Alex De Minaur in the last eight of the US Open. But Draper, who reached the 2018 Wimbledon junior final, has come through injury and the lower tours to reach the biggest stadium in tennis for the biggest match of his life.
And the No. 25 seed said: “When you’re younger, you have all these big dreams of winning Wimbledon and all these types of types of stuff.
“The reality was that barely anyone gets to achieve that. And the fact that I was almost sold a dream and, I thought it was going to be easy for me, and I was going to get up there.
“But the reality was, it was incredibly difficult. And the chances are that I wasn’t going to be able to do that. So that was hard to get my head around. But I’d say, in the last year or so, you know, I’m beginning to believe more and more in my capabilities, and more and more in the possibility that hopefully one day those dreams can come true.”
Draper has reached the last eight without dropping a set or facing a seed player – just like Emma Raducanu here in 2021 on the way to her fairytale victory.
But the No. 25 seed – the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw – faces world No. 10 De Minaur.
Draper’s coach James Trotman said: “I think these are the kind of matches that you dream about as a coach and a player.”
He posed for Vogue magazine before Wimbledon and joked: “I quite enjoy being in front of the camera. If I’m looking good, that is.”
And the British No.1 was watched in the fourth round by the fashion bible’s British editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
His baggy Nike shirt has attracted lots of style comments during his US Open run. And he posted a pic from Central Park wearing a red Scarface t-shirt and baggy shorts worn by Rafael Nadal.
But the 22-year-old admitted: “I don’t know anything about the fashion world and the shows and all that sort of stuff. One thing I do know is that I’ve always been quite strong in my belief that everyone’s open to do what they want to do and dress how they want to dress.
“And whether that’s wearing baggy clothes or skinny clothes or you do something crazy with their hair or do something, just express your personality and own it whatever I’m wearing. People are gonna have their opinions, whether they like it or whether they don’t.”
