Jack Draper has been compared to former US Open champion Emma Raducanu for his courageous style of play.
And the 22-year-old Briton will hope that’s not the only thing he has in common with Raducanu when the tournament ends.
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Raducanu shocked the world in 2021 when she claimed victory at the US Open at the age of just 18.
And now his compatriot Draper will get his own chance at glory in New York.
The world number 25 has reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career after an impressive run.
He beat No.10 seed Alex de Minaur in three sets in the quarter-finals, a result that also made him the first British player to reach the last four of the US Open since Andy Murray in 2012.
And of course, that year Murray also won the entire tournament.
If Draper is to emulate the Scot’s feat, he will now have to overcome his biggest challenge yet: facing world number one Jannik Sinner on Friday, September 6 for a place in the final.
But one person who believes in his abilities is none other than talkSPORT host Simon Jordan.
While becoming world number one will undoubtedly be a tall order for the young Briton, Jordan admitted he believes it is by no means an impossible task.
“I think it’s tough because Sinner is a remarkable player,” Jordan said. “But he’s not above Draper. He’s playing at the highest level. He’s got the shots. He’s got the variety. He’s got a brilliant serve. He’s got the confidence. I think it’s going to be a great match.”
“Jannik Sinner is world number one, and he’s world number one for a reason. And he’s a world number one who knows the Grand Slam tournaments, who knows what it’s like to play these big matches.
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“Jack is still finding his feet. But if you look at the way he talks, the way he carries himself, he’s got a great presence. He’s a big boy. He’s handsome as hell. He’s got the world in front of him, isn’t he? And he’s a great tennis player.”
And that wasn’t the only observation Jordan made about Draper during the tournament.
The former Crystal Palace owner also spoke about how his style of play reminded him of Raducanu and the way she played during her Grand Slam-winning campaign.
“Look at the shots,” he explained. “(Draper) hits the shots the same way Raducanu hit them when she won the U.S. Open, which is he aims his shots.
“He hits hard and hits the lines. Some of his shots were mind-blowing. His confidence level is high.”
And that’s not the only advantage Draper has, as Jordan praised the skilled and supportive team the youngster has behind him.
“He’s got someone in his corner, James Trotman, who’s a brilliant coach and the relationship is established,” Jordan explained. “It’s based on sound advice and guidance.
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“If you listen to the coaching the guy gives him, it’s all about positive reinforcement. It’s not a player running around the practice area yelling about what’s happening on the field.
“It’s about what can I do next, the positivity of the outcomes that I have to influence. So I think he’s got that on his side.
“I think (the fact that) Jack comes from the family that he comes from – his dad was head of the LTA, so he comes from a tennis family – so he has a completely different dynamic to the sport.
“But I also think he’s overcome a lot of adversity. The major problem with Jack Draper, as Marcus Buckland said the other day, is his body is constantly breaking down.
“So he gathered a lot of people around him to be able to give him the opportunity to compete on the circuit. And what you see now is a different, down-to-earth individual. He has the world in front of him.”
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