Andy Roddick acknowledges Jack Draper has proven noticeable enhancements currently however warns the Briton that he “can’t skip steps” and should maintain working laborious, particularly within the bodily division as a result of withstanding a deep and demanding Grand Slam run might be the subsequent factor he must additional solidify his case as being the true deal.
It isn’t a secret that the Briton typically struggled together with his health and accidents early in his profession, which compromised his outcomes and led to criticism from British media. However up to now in 2025, the 23-year-old has been taking part in the tennis of his life and he lately turned a Masters champion in Indian Wells and likewise secured breaking into the top-10 for the primary time in his profession with that run.
Since Draper’s run to the Indian Wells title was nothing wanting spectacular since he beat the likes of Joao Fonseca, Jenson Brooksby, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune, some immediately began declaring him a brand new high participant.
In a column for Betway, Roddick talked about that the brand new world No. 7 improved his health, backhand and in “loads of different areas.”
Roddick to Draper: Do not skip steps
“I really like Draper’s course of and I really like the way in which he’s working, however I don’t wish to skip steps so I wouldn’t say that he’s undoubtedly confirmed himself as a high participant. If I’m him, I’m going, ‘OK, I’ve confirmed I can beat everybody on the earth. I’ve overwhelmed Alcaraz in a event that he loves, I’ve made the semis of a serious,'” the American tennis legend added.
Roddick then introduced up his personal case and the way enduring back-to-back grueling five-setters on the 2003 Australian Open made him really feel assured in his physique and set him up effectively for his 2003 US Open win.
“Believing in your physique and understanding that it might probably keep there, and also you’re not having to compromise decision-making to shorten factors, that’s an enormous deal. You possibly can’t pressure perception, however I’ve received to suppose it’s beginning to are available in at a fairly accelerated charge for Draper. In Australia this 12 months, getting by way of these five-setters when he wasn’t even taking part in his greatest exhibits his physique can stand up to the wear and tear and tear of three-out-of-five, which possibly we didn’t know earlier than,” the 2003 US Open winner famous.
Going into the clay season, Roddick additionally mentioned that he’s taken with seeing how Draper does there.
