Jack Draper’s mother says he wants to inspire young tennis players the same way he was motivated by Andy Murray’s success.
On Wednesday, the Surrey tennis player beat Alex de Minaur to become just the fourth British man to reach the US Open singles semi-finals in the Open era.
He will now face world number one Jannick Sinner in the semi-finals.
Draper’s mother Nicky told BBC Radio Surrey: “He knows it’s very powerful when you see someone play, you kind of wanna be like them, don’t you?”
Ms Draper, who is a tennis coach at Parkside School in Cobham and drives the players to games, said her son had played with the students in the past and had given a pep talk over the phone.
The former Reed’s School pupil is currently ranked 25th in the world.
Ms Draper said: “He’s done absolutely amazing. You know, he’s put in so much hard work over the years and it’s been years and years of work and you don’t always get the rewards straight away.”
She added: “I always say you can’t make a tennis player, it has to come from within.”
‘Emotional rollercoaster’
The 22-year-old, who became the British number one in June, beat Sinner in 2021 at the Queen’s Club.
His mother said: “He just has to try and impose his game rather than be dictated to.”
She explained that watching her son was an “emotional rollercoaster”.
“I laugh that we are just sort of on this rollercoaster trying to hang on for dear life.
“We can’t dictate what’s going to happen and you don’t ever know what’s going to happen.”
