Jack Draper has made history as the first British man since Andy Murray in 2016 to advance to the US Open quarterfinals, defeating Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic on Monday. The 22-year-old southpaw secured a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 victory and has yet to lose a set in the tournament, where he achieved a significant milestone in 2023 by reaching the fourth round.
Draper has only been broken once in his four matches, winning 47 out of 48 service games and saving 20 out of 21 break points. Reflecting on his performance, Draper noted, "I lost on Louis Armstrong Stadium in the same round last year, so it was nice to come back and do better this year."
The British athlete expressed admiration for Murray, the former world number one and 2012 US Open champion, who retired after the Paris Olympics. Draper said, "He's a legend and an icon, and if I have half the career that he had, I will be a happy man."
The 25th seed will next face either Alex de Minaur or Jordan Thompson, who are set to compete in an all-Australian matchup later Monday. Draper, who also models and appeared in a Vogue photo-shoot before Wimbledon this year, received support from Vogue's editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, in his player's box.
Commenting on his approach, Draper added, "Every player has his own style. It's important to show your tennis style and style in general."
