Draper’s got the British crazy. The tennis player who Murray believes is on top of the ATP faces the toughest possible test

Andy Murray is a tennis legend, and not just for the British. The optimistic words he said about his successor as the number one tennis player in the country have fed the wave of enthusiasm for this player. Jack Draper is Britain’s great hope. He’s now facing a test at the Queens Club with a capital Z.

On his third attempt, he’s done it. Jack Draper celebrated his maiden ATP title last week. On grass, the UK’s number one surface.

The 22-year-old jumped up to 31st on the ATP rankings, and in due course he claimed a good chunk of the limelight. The legendary Wimbledon begins in less than two weeks.

Into it all steps the still-playing legend Andy Murray. According to Draper, he has a lot more to live up to than the position of British tennis number one, which he has freshly worked his way up to.

The left-handed player from Sutton, according to him, can also think about the top of the entire ATP peloton. “He’s been working hard and I think grass is a great surface for him,” Murray said, boosting the young countryman’s stock.

With only a couple of close losses, Draper is missing out on the elite world top 20 according to Murray. What he isn’t, he can be. The young Brit now faces perhaps the toughest possible opponent at the Queens Club.

Draper has a big challenge ahead of him

Draper will play Carlos Alcaraz for a place in the quarter-finals of the traditional tournament in London. He’s excellent on grass. He’s on an amazing streak of thirteen straight wins on it.

The Spaniard’s game is showing great results on grass courts thanks to his changes of pace, excellent stopballs and slick backhands. Alcaraz defends last year’s title at the Queens Club. The same awaits them at Wimbledon.

Moreover, the world number two is not complacent. Every time she steps on a grass court, she tries to improve, perceives her shortcomings and eliminates them.

Thus, the match between the coveted hope of the British tennis player and the reigning champion will be the highlight of Thursday’s program at the Queens Club. Draper enters the match in a great position. He has nothing to lose but a lot to gain.

Source: ATP, X, Eurosport