Jack Draper is expected to play in Eastbourne next week, and Andy Murray says the British player has been on court most days while building toward wimbledon. Murray, who has spent the last month working with Draper as an adviser and temporary coach, said the tennis looks strong despite the injury setbacks that have pushed him down to No 113.
Murray on Draper’s form
“He’s bloody good,” Murray said at Queen’s Club before Wimbledon. He also said Draper’s tennis is “bloody good” and added, “He’s really good.”
Murray said, “Jack is supposed to be playing in Eastbourne next week” and, “He’s been training and getting ready for that. He’s been on the court most days for the last few weeks.”
That schedule matters because Draper has not played since the Barcelona Open in April. He was ranked fourth last year, but knee and elbow problems, along with a serving shoulder issue, have interrupted that rise and left him searching for match time before the summer run begins.
At the National Tennis Centre
Murray has been working with Draper at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre for the last month, and the sessions have left him with a stronger view of the 22-year-old’s game than he expected. “In the sessions I’ve done with him, I’ve been more impressed probably than what I expected,” Murray said.
He also described Draper as “a quick learner” and said, “He’s got very few holes in his game.” Murray added, “He’s a more complete player than probably what I expected as well.”
The arrangement is temporary, and Murray has said he wanted a setup that still let him manage family commitments after retiring after the Paris Olympics in 2024. He later coached Novak Djokovic for four months at the start of 2025, but his work with Draper has centered on getting the British player ready for the next stretch.
Eastbourne before Wimbledon
The immediate step is Eastbourne, where Draper is supposed to play next week before Wimbledon. For a player who has slid to No 113 after being ranked fourth last year, getting through that run of practice days and into a tournament is the most practical sign that the comeback is moving forward.
Queen’s Club also produced another British breakthrough, with Arthur Fery reaching his first ATP quarter-final after Adrian Mannarino retired in a match delayed six minutes by a bloody nose in the second set. Fery was given medication by a physiotherapist after his left nostril started to bleed heavily at 1-1 in the second set.
