The Cinch Championships next June promises to be an exceptional ATP 500 event, with Jack Draper and Carlos Alcaraz already committing to playing at the tournament.
Draper enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024. In his first tournament of the year, he reached the Adelaide International final, finishing as the runner-up after a narrow three-set defeat to Jiri Lehecka.
The 22-year-old's level was inconsistent for the next few months. He is least comfortable playing on clay and did not make much of an impact on the dirt in 2024. However, his fortunes quickly changed.
Draper won a maiden ATP Tour title at the Stuttgart Open on grass. That achievement was even more impressive because the talented young star defeated 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the final.
The following week, Draper stunned the defending champion Alcaraz at the Cinch Championships. A sublime performance from the home favorite saw him defeat the two-time Wimbledon winner in straight sets.
Draper was even more successful afterward. He had his best run at a Grand Slam, reaching the semifinal of the US Open without dropping a set, including triumphs against Tomas Machac and Alex de Minaur.
The ATP year-end No. 1 Jannik Sinner proved too strong for Draper at that stage, but it was still a breakthrough tournament that proved the Briton is capable of shining on the most significant stages.
Draper's penultimate event of the season at the Vienna Open brought him another great moment. He won his maiden ATP 500-level title by overcoming US Open and Australian Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov in the final.
Many players would be thrilled to achieve that much during a single season and might consider similar results during the following year to be another successful achievement to strive towards.
However, Draper has loftier ambitions than that. The 22-year-old admitted that, after winning the Vienna Open, he wants to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner next year since they are the best players on the ATP Tour right now.
Draper will be able to test those ambitions during a week-long off-season training camp with Alcaraz. Spending that length of time with such a formidable player should be the perfect preparation for 2025.
Alcaraz and Draper might also meet once again at the Cinch Championships after Draper confirmed his participation at the tournament. The Spaniard announced he would play at the event a few days previously.
Draper was probably very confident of winning the Cinch Championships title after beating Alcaraz in last year's round of 16, but the always-solid Tommy Paul produced a great performance to beat him in the quarterfinal.
Although toppling players like Alcaraz, Sinner, and Novak Djokovic will be difficult, Draper might be one of the dark horses at next year's Wimbledon Championships. His game suits grass perfectly, and he will have home fans to help him.
For now, Draper must focus on proving his level with Alcaraz during the off-season. That time with the four-time Grand Slam champion might be what leads to a great run at the Australian Open in January.
0 Comments