World No. 15 Jack Draper is one of the most promising rising talents in tennis. In 2024, he became Britain’s top-ranked player, reached his first US Open semifinal, and claimed two titles. Despite dealing with injuries, he remains a key player to watch among the sport’s next generation. When it comes to the GOAT debate between Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, Draper has a well-thought-out response.
In December 2024, in an interview with Sky Sports, Draper was asked to choose some players he considered to be the “greatest of all time” and then only pick one. He, unsurprisingly, decided to go with three members of the “Big 3,” while also choosing Serena Williams, as the “female” GOAT. “I mean, let’s separate her, because she’s just incredible,” he said of her.
In the most recent years, Djokovic has been widely considered the greatest player of all time by many experts, players and fans alike. The Serbian is the player with the most Grand Slams in the Open Era (24), and completed the career Golden Grand Slam in the Paris Olympics.
Draper and Djokovic have only faced each other once. They met during the first round in Wimbledon in 2021, with the British clinching the first set 4-6, before the Serbian recovered and won the next three sets (6-1, 6-2, 6-2). He also faced Nadal only once, at the Australian Open 2023. He also managed to win a set against the Spaniard, who took the match: 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Draper left the Australian Open with a hip injury
The British star didn’t have a great start of the season, after he had to retire with a hip injury from his fourth round match against Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open. He was trailing 7-5 6-1 against four-time major champion.
“I just need to be sensible, because there is no escape from it, especially here or whatever, the tennis schedule is so tight,” Draper said. “I’ve got obviously lots of events coming up. I want to have a good, consistent year. I have been on a good run in the last 18 months, been relatively injury-free, and that’s allowed me to play the tennis I want to play and play well in these big tournaments and all those sorts of things,” he told the ATP Tour.
As he prepares for a new season, Draper has the potential to challenge the sport’s elite or, at the very least, establish himself as a top contender alongside Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. While the emergence of a new “Big 3” remains unlikely, the next generation continues to show immense promise.
