Jack Draper genuinely thought he wasn’t cut out for tennis… but now the big-dreaming British No 1 has New York in the palm of his hand and is just two wins away from a US Open final

Jack Draper has New York in the palm of his hand. He has Anna Wintour in his box and a place in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, where he will face Australian Alex de Minaur on Wednesday.

He has come a long way in a relatively short time. At first he felt so suffocated by the grind of touring, and so far from realizing his dreams, that he considered quitting.

“I almost sold a dream, you know? I thought it would be easy,” the 22-year-old reflected on his early years on the road.

“It’s not the Wimbledon spectacle I expected.”

It’s hamburgers and fries instead of strawberries and whipped cream, but that dream is now three times further from reality.

British No. 1 Draper has survived the first four rounds without dropping a single set

Draper has been a serious talent since childhood, a national junior with a top ranking in all age categories. But, largely due to injuries, he spent his first four and a half years on the treadmill of lower-level events.

When Emma Raducanu won the title here three years ago, Draper was ranked No. 272 ​​in the world and had just lost the second round of the Seville Challenger, forcing her to withdraw due to a new injury.

Around this time, while staying in a series of drab hotels, Draper considered making his retirement more permanent.

“You dream of winning Wimbledon, but when you get out of juniors you go crazy. You have to go to all kinds of difficult places to play tennis and beat men,” he said.

“It was because of Covid and lockdown and it was really hard for players to break through. I had a real reflection. I really thought maybe I wasn’t cut out for tennis.

‘I came back and worked hard and then in 2022 I had another moment where I thought, with all my injuries, was I good enough to continue to be the top player I wanted to be? I never wanted to play tennis again and not be a top player.

‘My mindset really changed halfway through last year. I wanted to be as professional as possible, to achieve as much as possible.

‘I thought it would be easy, but the reality was incredibly difficult. It was hard to grasp.

‘But over the last year I’ve started to believe more and more in my own abilities, in the possibility that those dreams could one day come true.’

‘One day’ could be four days in the US Open final. Draper’s next match will easily be his toughest yet. De Minaur, the 10th seed, was a doubt for the US Open after suffering a hip injury at Wimbledon, but like Draper, he has had a good draw and said: ‘Every day I felt better and better. Hopefully I peak at the right time.’

Draper is now potentially just three wins away from becoming a Grand Slam champion

Draper is pictured celebrating after beating Czech player Tomas Machac in his previous match

The 25-year-old ended Dan Evans’ courageous run in an Ashes clash and now the second Test is on the cards.

As Katie Boulter’s boyfriend, De Minaur is sometimes an honorary Pom, but not this week. ‘I’ve played enough Brits,’ he said. ‘It’s never easy. I feel a bit hostile in the country at the moment.’

De Minaur leads the head-to-head matches 3-0, but so did Tomas Machac in Draper’s final round.

Given the Briton’s recent successes, previous results are not so relevant.

James Trotman, Draper’s coach of three years, said: ‘If you look at Jack, this is only his first full year on the main tour.

“To be in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam is an incredible achievement, so let’s try to keep it going. He looks very calm and collected, the calmest I’ve ever seen him in a Grand Slam.”

Draper seems confident in his game and comfortable in his own skin. He likes to talk about everything.

Because Vogue editor-in-chief Wintour was present at his Machac win, and because he had met and invited her a few days earlier, Draper was invited to give his take on fashion.

Anna Wintour (center) is one of the most famous faces Draper has encouraged in New York

“I don’t know anything about the fashion world,” he said. “But I’ve always been a big believer that everyone is open to dressing the way they want, whether it’s baggy clothes, skinny clothes, or something crazy with their hair.

“Just express your personality and embrace it.”

That last sentence could have been written in neon lights on Times Square, it describes New Yorkers so perfectly.

Draper is building a bond with this vibrant, eclectic city and this tournament is like no other: get going, tap into the crowd’s energy and they can sweep you away like a tidal wave.

Jack Draper is on a roll. He’s going to have to be stopped for a while.