2 hours ago
Sir Andy Murray has issued a bullish bulletin connected nan fittingness and expertise of Jack Draper earlier Wimbledon, revealing that he has been practising connected tribunal astir days and hailing his tennis arsenic “bloody good”.
Draper has plummeted to No 113 successful nan world owed to a bid of injuries, having been classed 4th past year, and has not played since nan Barcelona Open successful April. But Murray, who has been moving pinch nan British subordinate for nan past period astatine nan LTA’s National Tennis Centre arsenic an advisor and impermanent coach, believes that his assemblage is now connected nan mend.
“Jack is expected to beryllium playing successful Eastbourne adjacent week,” Murray said astatine Queen’s Club. “He’s been training and getting fresh for that. He’s been connected nan tribunal astir days for nan past fewer weeks.
“His tennis is bloody good. He’s really good. Obviously he’s had tons of issues nan past twelvemonth pinch various injuries. I consciousness for illustration he’s starting to travel retired nan different broadside of that now. The adjacent measurement is getting connected nan lucifer tribunal and getting a accordant tally of tournaments and weeks nether him and building spot again successful his body.”
Draper has had knee and elbow problems, while his latest setback has been caused by an rumor pinch his serving shoulder. However, Murray says he has been amazed by nan value of Draper’s play successful nan sessions they person done together.
“I get to walk a decent magnitude of clip pinch Jack,” said Murray. “I besides judge a batch successful his tennis. In nan sessions I’ve done pinch him, I’ve been much impressed astir apt than what I expected. And I thought he was bloody bully earlier I started helping him.
“He’s a speedy learner. He’s sewage very fewer holes successful his game. He’s a much complete subordinate than astir apt what I expected arsenic well.”
Murray confirmed that while his business pinch Draper could proceed for nan build up to nan US Open, his privilege is being astatine location for his family. “I really for illustration Jack, and I wanted to thief him erstwhile he asked if I could,” said Murray, who retired aft nan Paris Olympics successful 2024 and past coached Novak Djokovic for 4 months astatine nan commencement of 2025. “But I was rather clear astir what I could and couldn’t do.”
“I still want to beryllium capable to prime my kids up from school, driblet them disconnected astatine home,” he added. “If that wasn’t thing that worked for him, past that was besides perfectly fine. But I said I’d still emotion to thief you if you would for illustration that.
“He’s asked for maine to thief him complete this adjacent period. I’ve enjoyed being connected tribunal pinch him. We’ll spot really nan adjacent fewer weeks cookware out.”
Murray is yet to coach Draper from courtside successful a lucifer but insisted that he had nary problems being successful that domiciled erstwhile moving pinch Djokovic. “I didn’t find it weird erstwhile I was watching matches pinch Novak,” he said.
“The buildup to nan matches and worldly I recovered rather hard. Because you request to get your connection pinch nan subordinate right. Making judge you’ve sewage nan correct courts booked, believe partners, balls, rackets, strategy. All of those sorts of things. You want that to spell smoothly. And past erstwhile nan subordinate is retired connected nan court, I recovered it rather easy.”
