Jack Draper is due to play his first match in two months later today, as he returns to the sport after his latest injury setback.
It has been a truly torrid past 12 months for the 23-year-old, who has plummeted from world number four and a new Masters 1000 champion to 160th in the rankings.
His return to action would have been exciting regardless, but the fanfare feels that much bigger given Eastbourne will mark the first tournament with Andy Murray coaching Draper, since they announced they’d be joining forces back in May.
The Scotsman had actually been speaking about his new protege recently, and admitted he was surprised by just how good he was.
Jack Draper has now responded to such shock, speaking to Sky Sports.
Jack Draper reacts to Andy Murray’s praise about his level
The British number four began by outlining his excitement at having Andy Murray join his coaching staff.
He claimed: “He [Murray] has always supported me. I’ve always had a great relationship with Andy. We spent some time together towards the back end of his career, and he’s been a great support to me ever since he has stopped as well, but it felt like a really good time to get Andy in my team. I’ve always wanted that because he’s one of my biggest inspirations.
How excited are you for Andy Murray to join Jack Draper’s team?
What a signing!
“To have him there in my coaching team, not only as a coach, but a mentor as somebody who has been through it all, which is a special thing. But also the fact that he believes in me, believes in my tennis – especially in this moment now, which is to come back and build myself up again. It gives me a big boost!”
However, on that aforementioned praise, Draper joked: “I was thinking to myself, ‘I was like No 4 in the world’. I think I was always pretty good.”
He then added: “Hearing that from Andy means on another level, so he’s a special, special person, not only as a person, but also his tennis knowledge. If he’s saying that about you, then there’s no one who you can get more confidence from than him.
“To know someone who has dealt with all the things that you have gone through such as injuries, or pressure moments, or how to deal with certain situations, he really does bring to me so many different things and he delivers it in such a calm way and in a way that is very helpful. He’s very honest but also very calm. He has a very good influence on me.”
Draper did recently admit what he has found weird about being coached by Murray, but regardless, he will hope this can prove to be a successful union as Wimbledon draws ever closer.
Jack Draper explains how difficult it is to suffer with so many injuries
He would then explain just how difficult it has been to suffer with such relentless misfortune on the injury front.
After all, it has not been just one issue that has plagued him; a handful of setbacks have occurred, which started roughly around this time last year.
The hope is that now, at last, Draper is through the worst of it.
He admitted: “I’m so happy to be back at a tournament. It’s been way too long. My body is feeling good. It’s been a tough time doing rehab and not be able to get on the match court but to come back at a tournament like Eastbourne is great so I’m really happy.
Who is to blame for Jack Draper’s injury issues?
“I always saw injuries as being a one-to-two-week thing, so when you have a big one, you do lose a lot of confidence in your body and doing the thing that you’ve always been able to do.
“You can go from doing anything to then really struggling just to move without pain or something like that, so you have to work yourself through it. And luckily I’ve had some really amazing people around to help guide me and tell me, ‘Jack, it’s going to be alright, you’ll get out there’ and it’s nice to be back.”
