LONDON — In the high-octane world of modern tennis, where power and athleticism are pushed to unprecedented limits, the physical toll on the sport's young stars is becoming a central narrative. British No. 1 Jack Draper, a player tipped for the very top, has now opened up on his own brutal battle with injuries, offering a candid and revealing perspective. In a surprising twist, the 22-year-old has partially pointed the finger at the relentless standard set by his generational rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, for contributing to the intense physical demands that have plagued his early career.
Draper's talent has never been in question. Possessing a thunderous left-handed serve and explosive groundstrokes, he has notched wins over top-10 players and was the first British man since Andy Murray to win an ATP title on grass, triumphing in Stuttgart in 2024. Yet, his ascent has been repeatedly stalled by a debilitating catalogue of physical setbacks. Since bursting onto the tour, Draper has contended with shoulder problems, abdominal tears, hip issues, and frequent muscle injuries, leading to multiple retirements from matches and extended periods away from the court.
The "Alcaraz and Sinner" Effect: Raising the Physical Bar
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Draper reflected on the unique challenges faced by his cohort. He argued that the phenomenal athleticism and power displayed by Alcaraz and Sinner have fundamentally changed the physical requirements of the game, forcing everyone else to push their bodies harder than ever before in a desperate attempt to keep pace. "I look at my generation, and Alcaraz and Sinner are two of the most physical players we’ve ever seen in tennis," Draper stated.
He elaborated that their style—characterized by blistering speed, violent rotational force on every shot, and a willingness to chase down every ball—creates a domino effect. "To compete with them, you have to be at that level physically. If you’re not, you’re going to get found out very quickly. That’s just the nature of the sport now. It’s become so physical, and I think that’s why you’re seeing a lot of injuries with a lot of players."
Draper's comments highlight a growing concern within tennis: is the sport's evolution towards supreme athleticism sustainable for the human body? The data seems to support his claim. The 2024 season has been marred by high-profile withdrawals and injuries across both tours. Draper himself is part of a group of highly-touted young talents, including Holger Rune and Ben Shelton, who have all faced significant physical issues early in their careers, struggling to maintain the week-in, week-out intensity required.
Draper's Personal "Hell" and a New Approach
For Draper, the cycle of injury, rehab, and comeback has been mentally gruelling. He described the experience as "injury hell," a period filled with frustration and doubt as he watched peers progress while he was sidelined. "You put your heart and soul into coming back, you get your body right, you start to play well, and then something else goes," he explained, detailing the psychological toll.
This relentless struggle has prompted a complete overhaul in his approach. After ending the 2023 season early due to a shoulder injury, Draper made a decisive change, hiring former fitness coach of Andy Murray, Jez Green, in late 2023. Green is renowned for transforming Murray into a physical powerhouse capable of going toe-to-toe with the sport's greatest athletes. The focus shifted from pure tennis practice to building a robust, resilient physique capable of withstanding the tour's demands.
Draper's new regimen under Green is comprehensive and gruelling, targeting the specific weaknesses that led to his breakdowns. Key areas of focus include:
- Building a Stronger Base: Intensive work on core strength and stability to handle the rotational forces of modern groundstrokes.
- Preventative Conditioning: Targeted exercises for the shoulder, hip, and abdominal regions to prevent recurring tears and strains.
- Improved Movement Efficiency: Enhancing on-court footwork and agility to reduce the strain of sudden, explosive directional changes.
- Load Management: Carefully balancing training volume, match play, and recovery to avoid overloading his body.
A Sport at a Crossroads
Draper's frank assessment opens a wider debate about the direction of professional tennis. The equipment, training science, and athletic prowess have combined to create a game of staggering intensity. While spectacular to watch, the question remains: are the current schedules, court surfaces, and ball designs compatible with this new physical paradigm? Draper’s point is not to blame Alcaraz and Sinner as individuals, but to highlight the environment their excellence has helped create. "It’s not their fault, of course," he clarified. "They are incredible athletes. But they are the benchmark, and that benchmark is incredibly high."
The ATP and WTA have implemented rules like the "performance bye" and tweaked schedules to aid player recovery, but many argue more systemic change is needed. Discussions often centre on reducing the number of mandatory tournaments, introducing a true off-season, or even modifying ball construction to lessen the impact on players' joints and muscles over a gruelling 11-month season.
Looking Ahead: Resilience Forged in Adversity
Despite the challenges, there is a sense of optimism in Draper's camp. The work with Jez Green appears to be paying dividends. His triumphant 2024 Stuttgart win, where he dropped only one set, was a testament to his improved physicality and stamina. He played through a tight hamstring in the final, a type of niggle that might have forced a retirement in the past, demonstrating newfound resilience. "I feel like I’m building a body now that can last," Draper asserted, a statement brimming with hope after years of fragility.
Jack Draper's story is more than a tale of injury woes; it is a microcosm of modern tennis itself. His struggles and his candid explanation implicate the very evolution of the sport—an evolution brilliantly embodied by Alcaraz and Sinner. As Draper continues his journey back to full fitness, his career will be a compelling case study. Can a player consciously rebuild himself to survive and thrive in this new, physically brutal era? If his powerful serve and lethal forehand can now be supported by a body hardened in the fire of past failures, the warning he issued to his rivals may soon be realized not as a complaint, but as a prophecy of his own arrival at the summit they currently occupy.