In the world of tennis, where rivalries are common, Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper stand out for their unbreakable bond! Both the British tennis stars are making waves in their respective tournaments ( Raducanu: Nottingham Open, Draper: Stuttgart Open) currently. As they continue to etch their name in the annals of tennis history, their off-court friendship is something that continues to intrigue their fans! Born less than a year apart, Raducanu and Draper shared an agent in 2022. However, their connection goes back a long time before that!

It all began when the former WTA World No. 10 went on a junior tennis trip with Draper. At the time, they were only nine or ten years old. Not only that, but both the rising stars of tennis also mastered their tennis skills together at the National Tennis Center in Roehampton. Later on, after they both turned pro in 2018 and started their journey in tennis, their off-court friendship came into the spotlight. Not only through the good times, but both have been for each other during their struggles related to injuries as well. 

When Raducanu struggled with wrist and ankle injuries and stayed away from tennis for eight months, doubts lingered about whether the 21-year-old player would be able to make a strong comeback after that. However, the former World No. 35 remained confident in this regard. “When she’s fit, she’s an incredible player,” he said last year. However, her “beyond belief” show in 2023 serves as an inspiration for many, claims Draper.

Referring to when Raducanu won her career-best title in the U.S. Open in 2021, the left-handed player, Draper, said last year, “I think what she did last year was beyond belief, it was crazy, and I think it gave a lot of British tennis players massive belief in themselves that they could do something similar.” The former British male singles No. 1 player further added, “I think we’re all grateful to her for giving us that motivation and drive to want to kick on ourselves.”  

Draper, who himself suffered from abdominal and hip problems, has also been through a similar struggle, much like the former British No. 1 player in the WTA. However, when it comes to supporting his friend, Draper never backs down. Not only that, Draper, who is confident that Raducanu can jump back into the top ranking, also shed light on why he thinks Raducanu has the potential to perform even better than before.

Jack Draper thinks Emma Raducanu has “everything it takes” to be on the top again

While Jack Draper is currently swinging his racquet against Brandon Nakashima in the semifinals at the Stuttgart Open, Emma Raducanu has already reached the quarterfinals at the Nottingham Open. Both have overcome multiple injuries to get back in their form this year. However, even before Raducanu began her 2024 season, Draper was already sure that she would be back with more vigor this year.

This is because, according to him, “people forget that before the US Open, she was still in school. She didn’t have a lot of training. And then I think to expect so much of her after that is a bit of a mistake because she hasn’t maybe got a lot of that physical foundation..”

Further adding, he said, “She’s going to be back to being in those finals and those big positions because she’s got everything it takes. It’s just a matter of when.” As both of them continue their journey this season, the tennis world waits to see more glimpses of their friendship!