Jack Draper has won plenty of new fans this season but one former player is still not entirely convinced.
Over the first four months of the season the Brit has won a Masters 1000 title and reached a career-high ranking of number five.
His improved level of fitness has contributed to his impressive results and Jack Draper plans to go from strength to strength.
But following his run to the Madrid Open final, one player admitted they are finding something difficult to accept about Draper and his game at the moment.
What does Jack Sock find difficult to accept about Jack Draper?
Draper has proved he is one of the most dangerous players on the ATP Tour with his thunderous serve and blistering forehand.
He has raised his level at he Masters 1000 level and he proved he can reach the latter stages of Grand Slams after reaching the US Open semi-finals last season.
But as Draper continues to raise his stock on the game, former ATP player Jack Sock is not convinced that he is in the very top tier of players on the circuit right now.
“I don’t know why, I just can’t accept him being a top, top tier player yet,” Sock told the Nothing Major podcast. “I don’t know. He is obviously proving people wrong every week and being two in the race this year and five in the world, he is there. He has established himself.
“But when I think about a tournament or somebody going to win a tournament, he is still in that third tier for me for whatever reason.
“Nothing against him, he is probably going to prove us wrong again or keep proving people wrong, but good for him for playing this well and hopefully he keeps it going because it’s fine to watch.”
Steve Johnson says what he wants to see Jack Draper do next
Sock’s Nothing Major co-host and ex-ATP player Steve Johnson took a different approach when discussing Draper’s standing in the game.
After seeing him step and win Masters 1000 titles, Johnson thinks Draper has the tools to succeed at Grand Slam level.
“He has an incredible competitive nature. Every time you see him go out on court, he is a bull dog out there!” he said. “He grinds, he battles, he competes for the last ball. The only thing we have seen in the last couple of years of any worry is him staying healthy.
“If he can do that he is clearly showing his tennis is good enough. The fact he is left handed throws a bit of a wrinkle in there to some guys. He has a cannon of a serve. He seems as mentally strong as anyone out there on tour.
“So I think he is an absolute threat to be a major contender now going forward, based on his results at the end of last year and early this year. He has that pedigree of winning bigger titles, now is the time for him to take that next step forward of winning slams.”
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