Jack Draper ready to scare tennis’ big guns – Alex Ward

“Scary” Jack Draper is ready to challenge for the biggest titles in tennis, according to assistant coach Alex Ward.

The British number one will play Jakub Mensik in his first match at the Miami Open on Saturday as he looks to build on his brilliant maiden Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells last weekend.

Draper dropped just one set in the Californian desert, fighting back from a wobble in the semi-final to defeat Carlos Alcaraz before swatting aside Holger Rune in a one-sided final.

“It’s a massive achievement,” Ward told the PA news agency. “I believed he could win it but I don’t think he’d been in the semis of a 1000 event before so to deal with the Alcaraz match and then to play very good tennis in the final was very impressive. It was scary the level he produced in that final.”

Draper’s long-time coach James Trotman is very much the key voice in his ear and was in his corner in Indian Wells and will be so again in Miami.

Former British player Ward steps in to allow Trotman to have a break from travelling and, having supported Draper on his run to the final in Doha last month, he will pick up the baton again on the clay in Monte Carlo.

Spending time with the 23-year-old has allowed Ward a close-up view of what makes Draper so special.

“Then he’s 6ft 4in and he’s a lefty, which for tennis is quite handy. And he developed a lot of skills, defensive skills especially, because he had quite a late growth spurt. I think that combination is lethal.”

Draper’s potential has long been known and the physical improvements he has made have allowed his body finally to catch up with his tennis.

It was striking to hear Alcaraz say that he struggled to overcome nerves because he was so concerned about the quality of his opponent.

“I think a lot of people are thinking like that,” said Ward, who also works part-time as a Lawn Tennis Association coach.

“Many wouldn’t openly say it but I think that gives insight into the tour. I honestly think a lot of people, they’re worried about Jack when they play him. The top guys really respect him and see that he can go even further.”

While Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, when he returns from his three-month ban, will continue to start the grand slams as favourites, Draper can expect to be high on the list.

Asked whether Draper can win a slam this season, Ward added: “He’s not a guy who’s played multiple finals and been knocking on the door for years but, the way his level’s progressing and the way his physicality is improving, I don’t see why not.”

Being part of team Draper has also allowed Ward, who reached a career-high ranking of 242, to learn from Trotman and see at close quarters why his partnership with the world number seven has been so successful.

Draper was not the only member of the team to win silverware last weekend, with Ward helping Britain to victory in the 30-35 category at the ITF Masters World Championships in Turkey.

“It was a fun week,” said the 34-year-old. “I did send a video on the group chat with Jack and he was fairly complementary but he wasn’t like, ‘Wow, how good’s your level?’. I don’t think he’s too worried.”