Jack Draper is finally back playing competitive tennis as he prepares to compete at Wimbledon this year.
Hiring legendary figure Andy Murray for the grass-court swing, Draper is currently playing at the Eastbourne Open.
Murray has been pleasantly surprised by Draper, who beat Marcos Giron 6-4, 7-6(7-5) in his opening match of the ATP 250 event.
He now meets fellow Briton Jack Pinnington Jones in the round of 16 as he continues his recovery from a lengthy injury absence.
Draper has fallen out of the ATP top 150 because of his absence, but he arguably still has a great chance of winning Wimbledon.
Where will Jack Draper be ranked at the end of 2026?
Will he return to the top 10 or are you predicting him to drop down?
Jack Draper makes smart move to hire Andy Murray
First and foremost, Draper has made a fantastic decision to bring former British number one Murray on board.
The Scot claimed two of his three Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon, while his Olympic gold medal also arrived at the venue in 2012.
Even though they have not been together for long, Draper can learn a lot from the veteran, who will in turn have learned a lot about coaching during his spell with Novak Djokovic.
Wimbledon fans will support and motivate Jack Draper
The venue will also play a key role in helping drive the Briton onwards, with Draper certain to be heavily backed by the Wimbledon fans.
They will be desperate for another home champion, and the 24-year-old arguably represents the best chance of those wishes coming true.
It should provide extra motivation for Draper, and indeed give him a much-needed boost when the going gets tough.
Wimbledon blown wide open by Carlos Alcaraz withdrawal
And finally, the men’s draw has already been blown wide open long before the event has started because of Carlos Alcaraz.
A two-time champion at the All England Club in London, Alcaraz has withdrawn from Wimbledon because of injury.
Which player has the most to gain from Carlos Alcaraz’s Wimbledon withdrawal?
That arguably leaves world number one Sinner and Djokovic as two obvious contenders for the title, with Draper certain to have a great chance if either loses early on, just as they did at the French Open.
Notably, the Serbian isn’t getting any younger at the age of 39, while the Italian has not played since struggling with the heat in Paris last month.
Of course, Draper has his own major stumbling block with his fitness issues, but an injury-free spell could result in him claiming the top prize at SW19 this summer.
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