Jack Draper: Profile and ranking of Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon opponent

Teenage wildcard facing world number one as tournament returns

Emerging British tennis talent Jack Draper, just 19, faced a daunting task on Day One of this year’s Wimbledon as he squares up against defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Currently placed 253 in the ATP rankings, Draper reached the Wimbledon boys’ final in 2018 and is making his full tournament debut on Monday as a wildcard, finding himself immediately cast into the lion’s den after being drawn against the world number one.

Djokovic, 34, has already won the Australian and French Open this year, adding to a trophy cabinet already overcrowded with the 17 other men’s Grand Slams he has picked up over the course of an illustrious career that has seen him win no fewer than 84 ATP singles titles overall.

Draper though is in form and impressed earlier this month at Queen’s when he secured the biggest win of his career to date by seeing off world number 23 Jannik Sinner of Italy en route to the quarter-finals, also beating world number 39 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan before losing out to fellow Brit Cameron Norrie in the last eight.

“What an opportunity to be on court against the world’s best player to show him what I’ve got,” Draper told BBC Sport ahead of today’s match up.

While the all-conquering Serb says he “does not know too much” about his first challenger at this year’s tournament, he insists he is taking Draper “very seriously”.

“I’ve seen him play a little bit in Queen’s where he beat Sinner. I practised with Sinner so I asked him about Draper’s game,” Djokovic said.

“I have to do my homework, speak to more players, watch some of the videos.

“It can be very dangerous, very tricky playing against a home favourite, someone that doesn’t have much to lose, a guy who has beaten some really good players. I’m taking him very seriously.”

A left-hander noted for his two-handed backhand and towering 6 foot 4 inch stature, Draper was born in Sutton on 22 December 2001, later attending Reed’s School in Cobham, Surrey.

Draper credits his tennis coach mother Nicky with introducing him to the sport when he was just three and says that he grew up idolising Scottish two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

He also cites his current coach Ryan Jones and his brother Ben as key influences, the latter playing college tennis at the University of California.

Away from the court, Draper lists Manchester United, Mike Tyson, Batman Begins, Breaking Bad and Tom Hardy among his interests and says he listens to Post Malone, Drake and Liam Gallagher and is otherwise partial to a full English breakfast.