Emma Raducanu stunned the world in 2021 when she won the US Open against all the odds and now Jack Draper is chasing a similar dream.
With Raducanu struggling to kick on after her maiden Grand Slam title, Draper is now aiming to achieve the unthinkable just like his compatriot did.
Last night, Draper once again produced the goods during his match with Alex de Minaur, thrashing the Australian in straight sets.
Now, the Great Britain number one faces the world’s best-ranked player Jannik Sinner in the last four of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
It’s been quite a year already for Draper. However, the best could be yet to come for the Great Britain star – and he’s equalled one record already at the tournament.
Jack Draper equals Emma Raducanu record at US Open
Raducanu defied the odds in 2021 to win the US Open despite needing to qualify for the tournament from the outset.
She was ranked 150th in the world when she went through the tournament to win the title without dropping a single set.
Raducanu became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to lift the Flushing Meadows crown without dropping a set throughout.
Now, Draper is busy trying to claim his own records. By beating De Minaur in straight sets he’s become the first player to go 14-0 in sets at the US Open since Raducanu.
Naturally, the 14-0 achieved by Raducanu saw her win the tournament in the two-out-of-three format, with Draper now hoping to do the same over five sets.
His next match-up will be much tougher but ultimately Draper has made it this far and right now he has nothing to lose.
Draper could have golden opportunity to win Grand Slam title
At 22, it’s not the end of the world if Draper doesn’t go all the way to glory on this occasion.
However, facing Sinner – although he’s the world number one player – will provide him with a chance to reach the final.
There he would meet either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe with an American set to be in a men’s US Open final for the first time since 2006.
For any of the four players to get this far and potentially win it without facing Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic is a really big opportunity.
Draper will be completely aware of that and it will now be exciting to see if he can emulate Raducanu and lift the US Open title.
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