Jack Draper will head into Roland Garros as the highest seed at a major event in his career thus far, and will be hoping to capitalise on this newfound expectation.
After all, in the years prior, the left-handed star had earned a reputation as an explosive big-serving threat who perhaps lacked the fitness to reap the rewards of his natural talents.
However, having worked hard to shift that narrative, all of a sudden the world number five has shot himself into contention for the sport’s very biggest prizes.
Jack Draper is living proof of what hard work can do at any level of any sport, with his record on clay just another area of his game that has seen marked improvements in 2025 compared to previous underperformance in the years prior.
The French Open represents a chance for him to solidify this notion now.
Jack Draper previews his French Open campaign
Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the second Grand Slam of the year, naturally Draper cut a confident figure.
After all, in this sport, belief is the number one motivator, and already across the last 12 months it’s evident what the 23-year-old can do when he has that incentive.
Asked about the draw and how he rates his chances of a deep run, some might expect a modest reply given he is yet to win a single main draw match at Roland Garros. However, his answer was anything but.
He claimed: ‘I never really look through the draw. I look at my first-round opponent and I’m aware that all these guys deserve to be here.
‘It’s a difficult sport and there are a lot of people who are hungry to beat me now.
‘But I feel really confident I am able to go deeper in these tournaments and that’s the next step for me – to have consistently good runs at Grand Slams.’
Given Jack Draper’s Roland Garros draw is on the kinder side, despite being on objectively the tougher half, cause for confidence is justified.
How does Jack Draper feel ahead of Roland Garros?
Every player has their own routines to keep them sane in this relentless tennis world.
After all, barring a really early exit from a tournament, which nobody wants, there are no real gaps of significance in the calendar that can be exploited for a refresh.
Draper, however, has managed to find a few days following a busy clay-court season to return home, and has spoken about the effect it’s had on him ahead of Roland Garros.
Continuing to chat with the BBC, he noted: ‘If I go home and have a complete day off, I’ll be normal and do things like go to my local cafe, a greasy spoon in Putney. It’s not an athlete’s breakfast, it’s the normal stuff – beans, sausages, hash browns, all of that tackle.
‘I’ll maybe go into London, be with friends and be around my family who I never see.
‘Tennis, especially if you’re doing well in these tournaments, is very full on.’
