Great Britain's Jack Draper delighted to hit ATP NextGen qualification goal - 'It will be special to be a part of'
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Updated 07/11/2022 at 19:34 GMT
Qualifying for the NextGen finals was a major objective for the season, according to Jack Draper. The youngster will line up alongside seven of the other top Under-21 players in the world in Milan this week after an impressive year in which he's risen into the top 50. The 20-year-old said getting eye-catching wins over Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas helped boost his confidence.
Auger-Aliassime v Draper - US Open highlights
Jack Draper says he ticked off one of his objectives for the season by qualifying for the ATP NextGen finals, where the talented Brit will take on seven of the best Under-21 tennis players in the world.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough year, climbing from No. 265 to No. 41 in the ATP Rankings and taking some huge scalps on tour.
Draper’s form earned him a place at the NextGen Finals in Milan this week, where he will share a group with Lorenzo Musetti, Chun-Hsin Tseng and Dominic Stricker.
He faces Stricker first on Tuesday evening.
“It was a goal [to qualify] from the start of the year,” Draper told the ATP website.
“I have watched the event over the past couple of years and it looks like a very exciting event with lots of great players and young players coming through.
“I tried not to pay too much attention to qualifying as I know there are so many young players doing great things as well, but I suppose I put in the work and I kept on banking good weeks.
“I think it will be special to be a part of. You don’t get to play many tournaments where there are just eight players competing.
“They are all guys who are coming onto the scene and are exciting prospects. I think that is the real exciting thing, that you are playing guys who are a similar age and playing great tennis as well and have been consistent throughout the year.”
Although the left-handed youngster is yet to pick up a tour-level singles title, he provided plenty of upsets during the 2022 season.
His most eye-catching achievements were a win against world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas in Montreal – his first against a top 10 player – and knocking Felix Auger-Aliassime out of the US Open in the second round in straight sets.
Draper also reached his first tour-level semi-final in Eastbourne, but pointed to the North American stretch as the highlight of his year.
“I think the most satisfying run was [at] the US Open,” Draper said.
“I feel I beat two players in [Emil] Ruusuvuori and Auger-Aliassime who are top players and people I have been watching the past couple of years.
“The win against Auger-Aliassime gave me confidence that I can play well and really compete with these guys. The Tsitsipas win as well in Montreal. Playing those top players and getting wins and feeling comfortable is crucial.”
It looks like there’s much more to come from Draper, who missed the second half of 2021 with a ruptured ankle ligament.
“It has been the first season I have been able to play lots,” Draper said.
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Jack Draper - Emil Ruusuvuori - US Open Highlights
“With my injuries in the past few years I have not been able to play as much as I would have wanted to, because of some unfortunate injuries.
“For example, I did some ligaments in my ankle. Just not getting that consistency of practising and competing.
“I think that is the biggest thing this year, just being able to stay fit and healthy and stay on court. I am ready physically and mentally to put it on court together.”
The ATP NextGen Finals take place from November 8-12 in Milan.
The event pits the top eight Under-21 tennis players against each other, with two groups of four facing each other in a round-robin format before the winners and runners-up progress to semi-finals.
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