Former Grand Slam champion Juan Martin del Potro has backed Jack Draper to compete with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz however admits he wants “confidence in his body”.
Draper has been tipped as a future Grand Slam contender however the true journey for the British star is about consistency, health, and dealing with expectations on the most important phases, in accordance with Del Potro – the 2009 US Open champion.
The previous world No 3 and Davis Cup champion with Argentina was suffering from wrist and knee accidents all through his profession earlier than hanging up his racket in 2022.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights of the Barcelona Open match between Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Jack Draper.
Draper vowed to “work my way out of this” in a candid social media message following his mid-match retirement on the Barcelona Open.
The previous world No 4, who’s at the moment ranked twenty eighth, returned to competitors in February after virtually six months out of motion on account of a bone stress damage in his left arm.
He defeated Novak Djokovic as he made a powerful run to the quarter-finals in his Indian Wells title defence, after which suffered a straight-set loss to Reilly Opelka on the Miami Open.
After lacking the Monte-Carlo Masters, Draper retired within the deciding set of his conflict towards Tomas Martin Etcheverry on the Barcelona Open with the 24-year-old scheduled to play on the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica from April 21 to Might 3 – reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
“Well, as a lefty player, he has an advantage over the rest of the players,” mentioned Del Potro, who misplaced to Andy Murray in a compelling Olympic males’s singles last in 2016.
“Draper is a talented player as well, but sometimes the body could be the worst thing in your career, as has happened with me, but he’s trying to get confidence in his body.
“He has the tennis to play effectively, however typically you want your physique to answer the very best depth of the matches and tournaments each week, however I feel British tennis is in good fingers.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights of Draper towards Casper Ruud within the last of the 2025 Madrid Open
Draper has additionally battled nervousness points on court docket, with the participant struggling bouts of illness in addition to accidents to his hip, knee and arm.
He’ll hope to return to Madrid, one yr on from his run to the ultimate – his first ATP Masters 1000 last on clay and regardless of ending runner-up to Casper Ruud in three units, Draper confirmed he has the sport to play on the purple filth.
“Well, for me, I think injuries was the worst part of my career,” admitted Del Potro, nicknamed ‘The Tower of Tandil’.
“I had to deal with my injuries during many, many years but I still preferred to play against ‘The Big Three’ [Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic] every day.
“Accidents are a part of our sport. If you’re an athlete, you must know that the accidents will come anytime and that is why you must create an ideal staff, not solely a tennis coach, you want a bodily coach, a physio, a psychological coach as effectively, and when the unhealthy moments come, the quicker that you may get out of it, the higher.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights of an epic Indian Wells conflict between Draper and Novak Djokovic
Brits in motion
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Sky Sports activities’ Tim Henman and Martina Navratilova debate if Emma Raducanu must decide to a long-term coach and enhance her off-court physicality to achieve her full potential
British No 1 Cam Norrie has loved some sturdy outcomes to this point this yr, together with a quarter-final in Indian Wells and reaching the third spherical of the Australian Open.
Emma Raducanu can be scheduled to make her return from sickness at this yr’s WTA 1000 occasion in Madrid, which will probably be her first match since dropping to Amanada Anisimova within the third spherical of Indian Wells.
Katie Boulter completes the principle draw entry checklist for the Brits after Sonay Kartal was compelled to withdraw on account of damage.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
An alternate angle of Draper’s match towards Daniil Medvedev, as we get an attention-grabbing take from the Miami crowd
When and the place is the Madrid Open?
The Santiago Bernabeu will host observe classes throughout the Madrid Open event
The Madrid Open will happen over a two-week interval with the principle draw motion getting underway on Tuesday April 21 – reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
The ladies’s singles last will probably be staged on Saturday Might 2, with the lads’s singles last going down the next day on Sunday Might 3.
Day classes on the Madrid Open will begin at 9am, with the night time classes starting at 5.30pm.
This yr, there can even be a clay court docket put in on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium – the house of Actual Madrid – from April 23-30.
The most important stars will have the ability to practise right here all through the week to duplicate the situations on the La Caja Magica.
Watch the ATP and WTA Excursions, reside on Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this yr at no additional price. Discover out extra right here.
