Jack Draper’s chances of winning Wimbledon are strong, but he will be well aware of the challenges that lie between him and that coveted crown.
Chief among them is Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion, who looms in the projected final.
To get there, the 23-year-old must overcome several top players, given how cruel Draper’s Wimbledon draw has turned out to be.
He and his coaching staff will have done all the necessary preparation to give themselves the best possible chance though, and Leon Smith has now reiterated as much after revealing a behind-the-scenes chat.
Leon Smith rates Jack Draper’s chances of winning Wimbledon
As a former coach of Andy Murray’s, Smith is certainly qualified to talk about winning Wimbledon; even if they were not working together when the Scotsman claimed those titles in 2013 and 2016.
And, having spoken to Jack Draper’s coach, he has been able to provide an insight that few others can ahead of his first-round match on Tuesday.
Smith stated, when rating the British number one’s chances live on BBC: ‘He is number four in the world and he is number four for a reason. He is very consistent, he has been fit and healthy. He has improved his game. I just talked to his coach 10 minutes ago and they don’t look at anything further and beyond. I know it’s a cliche but he literally said it’s just about the first-round match and you have to take care of that business. And then it’s on to the next one.
‘The key thing for Jack is that he is in a good place, he has a great team around him, he has a wonderful team around him. He also has the old team Murray working for him now, so he is in a good place.
‘He is an amazing competitor. But clearly, his movement has got better, for a big guy he moves extremely well. But the way he is taking on his forehand and getting on the offence when he can, especially off his serve, he will get a lot of short balls off his serve and take opportunities when he can.’
Jack Draper is dealing with the pressure of Andy Murray’s legacy
Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference, Draper was never going to get through an entire interview at Wimbledon without the mention of Murray.
And, when asked about how it felt to follow in his footsteps, the youngster admitted he was dealing with the pressure as best he could.
He claimed: ‘Yeah, for sure. I think obviously when Andy retired, they said I was the next in line for that.
‘Obviously, Andy has done an unbelievable job. He’s been incredibly successful and has become adored by the nation. It’s obviously big shoes to fill. I’m aware of that. At the same time, I’m confident in myself that hopefully I can inspire people like Andy has done.
‘I’ll keep trying to show my best tennis out there, to hopefully present myself as the player and the person I want to be.’
