Jack Draper entrusts himself to Andy Murray to become himself again: "He believes a lot in me"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 26 Jul 2026 | 17.10

Jack Draper, Murray's confidence in his resurgence. Photo: gettyimages

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Jack Draper faces alongside Andy Murray a decisive stage to relaunch his career after injuries have slowed down his progress. The British player will make his return at the ATP 500 in Washington thanks to a wildcard, currently ranked 147th in the world, and acknowledges that working with one of his big idols is giving him confidence and new perspectives.

There are few players whose current ranking reflects their true potential worse than Jack Draper. The Brit has shown that, when his body allows him to compete consistently, he has the weapons to establish himself among the elite. However, recurrent physical issues have turned that consistency into his major challenge and have pushed him far from the positions that would correspond to his tennis level.

Draper reveals what Andy Murray is bringing to his team

That's why his new partnership with Andy Murray generates so much anticipation. Draper doesn't hide the influence the former world number one has had since joining the team, and in remarks to Sky Sports, he particularly highlighted something that could be crucial after so many difficult months: tranquility.

"Andy has been an incredible part of my team so far. He's brought a great calmness and has fantastic energy," explained Draper, who is also discovering a perhaps less known side of Murray during his professional years. "I think people are seeing it more now that he has retired, but he's incredibly playful. He's having a lot of fun."

"He's brought a real calmness"

Jack Draper explains what impact Andy Murray has had since joining his coaching team 🤝 pic.twitter.com/9WfCtoyMga
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) July 26, 2026

Beyond possible technical or tactical modifications, there is an aspect of this partnership that may be particularly powerful at a mental level. Murray perfectly understands what it means to compete under the huge expectations of British tennis and, above all, has lived through a significant portion of his career with serious injuries. Few role models can better understand the constant process of rebuilding and maintaining ambition when the body presents obstacles.

Draper precisely focuses on the confidence that Murray has placed in him. "It's great because he really believes in me and in my tennis. He thinks I can go very, very far in this sport, and for one of your biggest idols to think so is something to be very proud of, and it gives me confidence," he confessed.

"We're on a journey together"

Draper's choice of words is significant because he doesn't present Murray's arrival as an immediate solution. The Brit speaks of a long-term process, aware that there are aspects of his tennis still open to evolution and that the primary goal must be to get his body to allow him to develop that potential.

"We're on a journey together, and I think there are many things I can improve in my game and much to achieve," Draper stated. Alongside his natural left-handedness, power from the baseline, and a service able to earn him numerous free points, he now has the opportunity to absorb knowledge from one of the players with the greatest tactical intelligence in recent decades.

Murray can particularly contribute in areas that marked his own career: reading the opponent, shot selection, understanding crucial moments, and the ability to find different solutions within the same match. But no evolution will be possible without consistency. That's the real challenge for Draper after an extremely turbulent season.

Washington, more than just a tournament for Draper

The ATP 500 in Washington thus represents a particularly interesting starting point. Draper has received a wildcard for the main draw and needs to accumulate matches much more than achieving a specific result. After so many interruptions, winning matches would mean regaining competitive automatisms, testing his body's response, and gaining confidence before facing the rest of the North American tour.

Initial signs seem encouraging. In the pre-tournament practices, Draper played a practice set against Ben Shelton, currently in the top-10 and the second seed in Washington, defeating him 6-1. Observers noted the good functioning of both his left arm and his serve, as well as the positive vibes conveyed by Murray regarding his pupil's level.

It is advisable not to draw excessive conclusions from a training session, but after a period marked by physical doubts, returning to hit without apparent limitations and competing at a good level against an opponent of Shelton's caliber is positive news.

The ranking is secondary if Draper manages to stay healthy

His current 147th position in the ranking also brings evident competitive urgency. Draper needs results to rebuild his position and progressively regain the status that would allow him to access major tournaments without depending on invitations. Washington offers many points, but the truly essential aspect will be to see if he can string together several weeks competing without issues.

Because the big question surrounding the Brit has never been solely about how far his tennis can go. His potential ceiling is high enough to have raised great expectations, but he needs to demonstrate he can endure the physical demands of the circuit for months and not just isolated periods.

Here is where the adventure with Murray begins. Draper has by his side a man who reached the highest echelons in a time of extraordinary competition and who perfectly understands what it means to battle against one's own body. Washington will be the first major test of this new stage, but success should not be measured solely by rounds won.

If Jack Draper manages to definitively leave injuries behind, regain confidence, and compete regularly, his 147th position could end up simply being a fleeting snapshot of one of the most challenging moments of his career.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jack Draper se encomienda a Andy Murray para volver a ser él mismo: "Cree mucho en mí"

Jack Draper