Amid the relentless pressure of the ATP tour, British star Jack Draper has found that a plate of beans and hash browns might be just as vital as a well-timed forehand. As he returns to Roland Garros as a top-five seed, Draper shares how a few days in London and the comforts of home ground him ahead of the French Open.
The art of switching off
For most elite athletes, recovery means ice baths, massage tables, and long hours with sports psychologists. For Jack Draper, sometimes it just means a trip to Putney’s local greasy spoon. “Tennis, especially when you’re winning, is very full-on,” Draper tells BBC Sport. “If I go home and have a day off, I’ll do things that feel completely normal—like heading to my local café for a proper English breakfast: sausages, beans, hash browns. Not an athlete’s breakfast, but it’s real.”
The 23-year-old Brit has rapidly climbed the ranks to become the nation’s top male player and is now seeded fifth at Roland Garros. But that rise has brought with it an increasing awareness of the mental toll high-level tennis can take. Draper says brief escapes from the game—into the rhythms of family, friends, and home-cooked comfort—are essential. “I’ll maybe go into London, be around my family who I never see, and just let myself breathe for a bit,” he adds. “It makes a difference. I come back feeling refreshed, sharper.”
A rapid rise and a reset in Paris
Just a year ago, Draper’s French Open campaign ended in the first round. It was a disappointing result, part of a stretch of inconsistent performances and injury concerns. But since then, his trajectory has changed dramatically.
He broke into the top 10 in March after winning Indian Wells—his biggest career title to date. Before that, a semi-final run at the 2024 US Open established him as a serious Grand Slam contender. This spring, he pushed that form onto clay, reaching the final in Madrid and following it up with a strong quarter-final showing in Rome.
Those performances solidified Draper’s reputation as a player no longer bound by surface or reputation. In Rome, however, he admitted to struggling with consistency. After a taxing May, fatigue caught up with him in a hard-fought loss to Carlos Alcaraz, the defending French Open champion. “My level was in and out,” Draper admitted. “I’m at the stage where I’m learning to be ‘on’ all the time. It’s what I want to do, but it’s not easy. You have to learn how to manage that.”
Hunger, pressure, and personal growth
Draper’s introspection is part of a broader maturation. Where once he might have chased every result, now he understands the long game. That doesn’t mean ambition has faded—it’s simply more grounded. “I’m someone who’s quite wired,” he says. “I always want to achieve, to keep moving forward. I have to feel like I’m progressing, otherwise I struggle.”
This mindset will be tested again in Paris, where the draw is challenging from the outset. Draper opens against Mattia Bellucci, a left-handed Italian ranked 68th in the world. They’ve known each other since under-12 tournaments—a reminder of how far Draper has come.
Further down the line, big names loom: Hubert Hurkacz, Alex de Minaur, and world number one Jannik Sinner could all block his path to the latter stages. But Draper isn’t one to obsess over the draw. “I never really look ahead,” he says. “I know all these guys are hungry to beat me now. Everyone here deserves to be in the draw. I just focus on my first-round opponent.”
A game evolving and sharpening on clay
Once considered a hard-court specialist, Draper’s transformation on clay has impressed both fans and analysts. His performance in Madrid, where he beat top-20 players and reached the final, was no fluke. Rome only reinforced that progress, even if the week ended in a loss.
His practice sessions this week have included a hit on Court Philippe Chatrier with Carlos Alcaraz—a sign of how Draper is now part of the elite club. But he’s still finding his rhythm in the mental and emotional demands of the ATP’s top tier. “This part of the season is intense,” Draper says. “But I feel really confident now. I know I can go deep in these tournaments. That’s the next step for me—consistent runs in the Slams.”
So far, he’s already reached the second week of the last two majors. Another push in Paris could cement his status as more than just a rising star—it could place him in the top echelon of the men’s game.
The importance of being Jack
Despite the headlines, the trophies, and the pressure that comes with carrying British tennis hopes, Draper remains grounded in the small moments. Whether it’s greasy spoon breakfasts in Putney or playing football with his nephews, these slices of life help keep the pace of professional tennis sustainable.
The ATP Tour is a whirlwind of cities, courts, and constant performance. Draper’s greatest achievement this season might not be winning Indian Wells or cracking the top 10—it might be finding balance. That rare ability to switch off and just be Jack for a while. “Those moments when I go home—they’re not just about rest,” he says. “They help me reconnect with who I am.”
