WIMBLEDON — It was a memorable feature of Jack Draper’s 2024 US Open run, the constant advice he received from his coach James Trotman.
Well-placed microphones beamed his words of encouragement around the world while Draper was battling exhaustion and anxiety in his semi-final against Jannik Sinner.
Wimbledon are a little less brazen with the microphones, so it might be harder to hear what his coach is saying, but he won’t lack for recognition: Andy Murray will be the man in the box for Draper this year.
Trotman, who has coached Draper from long before he became a challenger for major titles, is back in his box too, sitting alongside Murray. But it is understandably the former world No 1 whose impact is attracting the most attention.
Murray and Trotman form Draper’s core team (Photo: AFP)“I’ve always said Andy’s a huge inspiration for me,” Draper said this week.
“It’s comforting to have him there. It’s a real boost, it’s a real confidence feeling to have him there, and also obviously having having Trots beside him as well.
“Those two have got an amazing relationship as well. It feels very natural.”
There have already been ups and downs, with Draper forced to pull out of their first tournament together at Queen’s because of a knee problem, but he then made the semi-finals of Eastbourne the week before Wimbledon.
‘Refreshing intensity’
Murray’s coaching style is different from other former players, who often rely on their lived experience alone to produce pearls of wisdom.
“He’s much more meticulous,” one tour coach says. “He takes it as seriously as he took everything in his playing career, the intensity is refreshing.”
That was evident during Murray’s stint coaching Novak Djokovic last year. He admitted that there was a lot more work than he ever realised as a player, and that his knowledge of the technical side was still lacking.
To compensate, he would stay up late watching videos of opponents to develop tactical gameplays for Djokovic.
Every shot counts
With Draper, he has been looking at the biomechanics of his explosive serve, trying to figure out whether his technique is driving the repeated injuries he has been suffering.
In training, strength and conditioning coach James Padfield has been logging every single serve Draper hits on a handheld clicker. Earlier in the season, his coaching team cut short a practice match in Spain because he had reached the limit decided for that day. The fiercely competitive Draper was furious, so strong is his competitive spirit.
Draper’s arm and shoulder have both been problems, aggravated by his service action (Photo: Reuters)“He’s always worked hard from all the years that I’ve known him,” says Harry Wendelken, who is four days older than him.
“His determination as well when he’s on the court… he’s a really chill fun guy off the court, but then once he gets on the court, it’s like game time.
“He’s quite hard to practice with.”
Murray’s value to Draper is not solely tactical. He was someone Draper idolised growing up: he was 10 years old when Murray ended the decades-long wait for a British male grand slam champion.
When he got old enough to start training at the National Tennis Centre regularly, Murray took him under his wing, recognising that he was the best player in a talented generation.
Mentor to friend
They soon became Davis Cup teammates, and after a win over France in Manchester three years ago, Murray drove him home.
Draper had a few beers before and on the way, posting a tongue-in-cheek video on Instagram of him singing the Proclaimers’ “500 Miles” in the passenger seat to a deadpan, bird-flipping Murray.
It was a sign that the mentor-mentee relationship was sealed, even before the three-time grand slam champion retired a year later.
www.instagram.com/p/CxWGksXO-UI/The “comfort” Draper feels with such a close friend in the box can work the other way on his opponent too.
Even fellow British player Toby Samuel, who was on the other side of the draw but would have faced Draper for the title if they had both won their semi-finals in Eastbourne, said: “I was like, ‘I might have to play Jack, and then Andy will be coaching against me. Not good!’”
‘Someone to lean on’
And while Murray has worked hard at his technical knowledge (all while also coaching YouTube megastar KSI as part of his new video venture), his counsel in the tough times will be invaluable too.
Draper has only played 14 matches since he was last at Wimbledon, a bone bruise in his arm keeping him out of the second half of 2025 and then a knee injury sidelining him for almost all the clay-court season this year.
“Andy’s obviously dealt with his own adversity and his career [in terms of] injuries, and I’m sure it’s nice for Drapes to have someone of that level to lean on,” says world No 145 Jack Pinnington-Jones, who used to hitch lifts with Draper to training at the NTC.
“They get on really well. They’re both very driven and very hard working, but also have very dry senses of humour, so I think it is quite a good match.
“Drapes is highly motivated, wants to be back at the top of the game, and doing everything possible.”
Murray is contracted until the end of the grass-court season, and says he does not want to travel on the tour.
But anyone who has worked with him over the years knows that almost everything is a moveable feast.
If Draper has a good Wimbledon run, Murray might just get a taste for it – and the show will go on.
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