Jack Draper has been urged to avoid being under the “microscope” and alter his schedule for the foreseeable future amid a torrid spell of injuries and losses.
Just under two years ago, Draper was being talked about as a player who could potentially challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the game.
However, 23 months on from his breakout semi-final run at the 2024 US Open, the 24-year-old is 139th in the world, with injuries limiting him to just 14 matches (8-6) this season.
The former world No 4 has struggled with bone bruising in his left arm, and knee tendonitis has been an issue earlier this year, too. The Brit has suffered early exits in Canada and Cincinnati and is unlikely to get a wildcard ahead of this year’s US Open.
In a bid to get his confidence up, tennis content creator Gill Gross thinks Draper should drop down into the Challengers again, a level he had a great deal of success in back in 2022.
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The left-hander was scheduled to play at the Brownsburg ATP 75 Challenger earlier in August but he ended up withdrawing. Going forward, though, Gross thinks playing at that level is the right call.
The American commentator commended the former British No 1 for making some changes to try and fix the arm issue but his inner demons may not go away until he starts regularly winning matches again.
He said on his YouTube channel, “This is a very tricky situation, difficult to watch at times. In terms of solutions, he has looked towards the racket technology, softer strings, and a more forgiving frame. I think that’s a good move, although perhaps it has affected his confidence a bit. Perhaps it is something that Jack resents having to do in the first place.
“The only thing that I can say from this position that he hasn’t done is go to the lower levels to try to work things out. Because right now, tennis is a brutal sport this way. You are so exposed. You are absolutely naked in front of millions and millions of people.
“And if you don’t feel like yourself out there, and especially with the high standards that Jack has, and if there are a lot of demons rattling around in the head, and there’s fear, and there’s emotions around it, like there clearly are, there’s no hiding in tennis.
“There is a degree of hiding if you go down to play tournaments that don’t have such a microscope on them, so that you’re not in this fishbowl playing in the largest stadiums in the world against the best players in the world. And maybe that could offer Jack some relief, or at least some time to figure himself out with a little bit less pressure, fewer eyeballs, less media, and worse opponents.
“Just an idea for Jack, something to consider if he feels like he’s having trouble making progress at the highest level of the sport. And if he feels like he’s struggling with the mental components of even attempting to do that, maybe look towards going down to the challenger level.”
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