There is no duo in the world of sport that can currently match the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry. Whilst friendship away from the court has led to good sportsmanship on it, this has not got in the way of some incredible battles between the tennis heavyweights of our era, both of whom have already started to slowly insert themselves into the Djokovic, Federer, Nadal conversation.
Between them, the ‘Big Two’ have split the last nine major titles and have won an astonishing 11 (seven for Alcaraz to Sinner’s four) from the last 14, a record dating back to the 2022 US Open. No-one, with the occasional exception of the great Novak Djokovic, can get anywhere near the deadly duo. In terms of power, speed and guile, they are unmatched, with even magnificent players ranked in the top 20 fighting for scraps and being made to look weak in comparison. Where, then, does this leave Great Britain’s No.1, Jack Draper?
Having reached a career high ranking of fourth in the world prior to last year’s Wimbledon, Draper suffered a disappointing defeat to veteran Marin Čilić. Despite various injury setbacks, it is clear that the 24-year-old is on an upward trajectory. His record in 2025 saw him win 30 matches at the cost of only nine losses — a win ratio of over 75 per cent. He also won 87 per cent of service games on his own serve. Needless to say, that bullet of a left arm is a serious weapon against any opponent. This ranks him amongst the elite, with Alcaraz operating in and around the same 85 to 90 per cent ratio. Draper also averages almost 10 aces per match compared to Alcaraz’s 5-6 and Sinner’s 7-8, leading fans to believe that perhaps he could go toe-to-toe with the greatest, at least in terms of sheer power and raw ability.
Indeed, although some might argue that Draper is yet to prove himself on the biggest stage, he has already exerted himself well for someone of such a young age. Having reached the US Open semi-finals in 2024, he backed this up with victory at the ATP Masters 1000 at Indian Wells in 2025. Crucially, he conquered the mighty Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final of that competition — one of his nine career wins against the top 10.
There is no doubt, therefore, that Draper has the potential to outperform the best in the world. He has, however, failed to do so on a consistent basis — his results against the top 20 in the last year have been a mixed bag, winning just four out of seven.
In addition to this, the major red flag for Draper, as with so many great tennis players, will be his injury profile. The Brit was forced to retire from the US Open with an arm injury and, perhaps because of the aggression with which he takes on the sport, he has struggled with long-term hip and abdominal issues that have forced him to take a seven-month layoff before his return in the 2026 season.
For this reason, many would argue that it would be more realistic to compare someone of Draper’s current age and ability to the rest of the field — the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz — all excellent players in their own right, but starved of success due to the sheer dominance of the Sincaraz rivalry. Whilst Draper’s win rate in 2025 exceeded that of these rivals, they all have more experience of deep Slam runs and are arguably closer to challenging the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz.
As a fan of British tennis, it is quite normal to get excited at a powerful serve and aggressive forehand. There is absolutely no doubt that Draper has huge talent and, at the age of just 24, an enormously high ceiling too. Questions remain however: Will anyone be able to get near the formidable pair trading slams for fun? Could it be our very own Jack Draper? Will he spend his career stuck in the no-man’s-land between the very best and the rest?
Regardless, the fact that the Briton is even in the conversation is testament to his ability and he will be avidly supported at both the upcoming French Open and Wimbledon this summer. Only time will tell if he can return British tennis to the glory days of the great Andy Murray.
“Jack Draper (50088332011)” by Carine06 from UK is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.