With an emphatic straight-sets triumph over Brazilian prodigy Joao Fonseca, Jack Draper has carved his name into the second week of Roland Garros for the very first time — a milestone that’s likely to catapult the British No.1 into the upper echelons of the ATP Rankings.
The 23-year-old Brit displayed a masterclass in dominance, dispatching Fonseca 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours. It wasn’t merely a win; it was a statement. Draper’s thunderous serve and commanding presence on the clay were simply too much for the teenage hopeful, whose rising reputation couldn’t bridge the clear divide in experience and execution. The result didn’t just underscore Draper’s raw power—it revealed the gap between a maturing major contender and a young challenger still climbing the professional ladder.
As Draper strides into the last 16, his progress is beginning to generate more than just scoreboard buzz. With Wimbledon fast approaching, the media frenzy surrounding him is primed to intensify, and the pressure to perform on home turf may soon be as heavy as his topspin forehand.
During a sit-down with Tennis365 in Paris, tennis legend Chris Evert weighed in on Draper’s growing stardom, reflecting a mixture of admiration and concern.
“Jack Draper, what is happening with him,” began Evert, in an exclusive interview with Tennis365.
“He looks so fit, a good looking boy. He has a lot going for him and I just hope the press leave him alone and let him get on with playing tennis.”
Known for his physicality and power, Draper’s success on clay has raised eyebrows, even among seasoned observers like Evert.
“I’m surprised that he is playing so well on the clay. He has a lot of power in his game, but he has not been known for his consistency up to now.
“What I notice is he has a real professional attitude to the game. He looks so fit. He seems to have the belief that he belongs at the top.
“I’m just so impressed with what we are seeing from Jack, but let’s keep things real. He is still a young guy and it will take time for him to get right where he wants to be.”
Evert’s praise comes with a word of caution. Britain’s sports media machine, infamous for turning heroes into headlines and then back again, has a history of burdening its brightest stars with crushing expectations. Draper, who has shown both grit and poise, may need all of that calm resolve to weather what lies ahead.
Switching gears, Evert also addressed the situation surrounding Emma Raducanu, who bowed out of Roland Garros in a second-round rout against world No.1 Iga Swiatek. The 21-year-old Brit, once thrust into global stardom after her unforgettable U.S. Open run, continues to navigate a winding road filled with pressure and public scrutiny.
“I just feel she has lost so many years of her career because of the whole thing around the one big win,” Evert told Tennis365.
“It’s the same with Naomi (Osaka). You could through so and all of a sudden you have that one big win.
“Emma is a beautiful girl and that probably didn’t help. The endorsements came in, the coaches were coming in and out and still her expectations are right up there now.
“She’s not there yet. She’s got to build, go back to the drawing board and build-up slowly. Maybe she had to swallow her pride a little because she’s not up there yet.”
Evert drew parallels between Raducanu’s trajectory and Osaka’s meteoric rise, both of which were followed by turbulent patches. While some of the spotlight was earned, Evert hinted that Raducanu’s historic title run may have been aided by a bit of fortune in the draw.
“I think she can get top 10 again,” added Evert. “If there is a solid commitment from her, I think top 10 can happen again.
“You have to remember a lot of people [top players] lost when she won that US Open and the player Emma beat in the final, Leylah Fernandez, had nothing left.
“Leylah beat three players in the top five. Emma didn’t beat anyone in the top ten. I remember commenting on the match and you could see that.
“If Leylah had won, her life may have changed forever, but Emma is the one who had to live through that experience. We will never see a qualifier come through and do what she did again, but it was tough for her after that.”
Evert’s insights shed light on the psychological and emotional cost of achieving glory too soon. For Raducanu, whose victory in New York was a fairy tale on fast-forward, the aftermath has involved recalibrating both her mindset and game. Evert believes there’s still a path forward—but only if the rebuilding is grounded in patience and purpose.
As Roland Garros advances into its second week, British tennis finds itself at a curious crossroads: Draper is charging forward, full of form and confidence, while Raducanu works quietly in the background, hoping to script a resurgence. Both stories are unfolding on different arcs, but together, they reflect the complexity of modern tennis stardom—where talent, timing, and tenacity must all align to withstand the pressures that come with breaking through.