Jack Draper’s rapid rise on the ATP Tour has sparked lively discussion around the true cause of his past setbacks, with contrasting perspectives from two of tennis’ most respected voices. While former world No. 1 Andy Roddick attributes Draper’s early struggles to questionable fitness levels, esteemed coach Patrick Mouratoglou paints a more layered picture—suggesting mental pressure may have played just as significant a role as physical strain.
In the early stages of his professional journey, Draper looked destined for the elite tier of men’s tennis. However, his promising climb up the rankings was interrupted by a string of injury woes, sudden mid-match retirements, and visible fatigue during key moments. These physical breakdowns—whether it was cramping or even vomiting during matches—raised red flags for many observers, including Roddick.
Speaking on the Served podcast following Draper’s breakthrough title win at Indian Wells and his entry into the ATP top 10, Roddick was candid in his critique.
“I think, up until eight months ago, his fitness was suspect,” he said. “There were a lot of injuries, there were points in matches even at the US Open where he vomited. Now he seems to have improved.”
But Mouratoglou, who has guided greats like Serena Williams and now advises Naomi Osaka, offered a fresh angle. In his view, Draper’s physical lapses may not have stemmed solely from conditioning issues. The real battle, he suggests, might have been playing out in Draper’s mind.
“When you see a young player struggling physically like Jack was, that can sometimes be mental more than physical,” Mouratoglou said in a recent interview.
“The cramps Jack had and I also remember him throwing up during some matches. This is probably mental and it takes time to find a way to understand this and to control it.”
The French coach explained that for a young player breaking into the spotlight, the weight of expectations—both internal and external—can be overwhelming. When a rising star carries the hopes of an entire nation, it can amplify the pressure on the biggest stages.
“Sometimes you go through moments at the start of your career when you really start to break through that there are so many hopes and expectations on his shoulders. Not just from the player, but also from everyone around him. Also, all of Britain wants him to win as well, I guess. That can be very difficult to handle.”
Mouratoglou praised Draper’s fighting spirit and strong mentality, pointing out that while the Brit has exuded self-belief, managing nerves during high-stakes matches was a skill that took time to develop.
“What I believe about Jack is he is very ambitious and extremely courageous. He has the right mentality to win, but he had to understand how to control that on court.”
Drawing from his observations, Mouratoglou added:
“I know him a little bit and I see a player who has a lot of self-confidence, but he had some physical problems in matches because of dealing with stress. I’m sure this is something he is going to solve.”
Beyond the mental hurdles, Draper also had to overcome significant physical injuries. Mouratoglou acknowledged this and emphasized the challenge that comes with Draper’s size and build.
“He also had some serious injuries and it takes time to solve those. He is a big guy and like most of the big guys, they can have physical problems.”
Tall, powerful players often face biomechanical challenges, and Mouratoglou highlighted that Draper, much like former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, must tread carefully to preserve his body and prolong his career.
“Now he has a great team around him and they have done all the work that is needed to prevent injuries for an athlete of that size,” he said.
“He’s tall, he’s strong and you need to pay even more attention to the bigger guys.”
He continued with a warning drawn from past cases:
“Look at someone like Juan Martin del Potro and he had a lot of injury problems. This is because it is tough for the bigger guys to avoid injury and this is an issue Jack needs to be on top of because it can stop him from going to the very top.”
Despite the physical hurdles and the mental toll of expectations, Draper has already proven he has what it takes to mix it with the best. His Indian Wells triumph didn’t come out of nowhere—it confirmed what the tennis world already suspected.
“He’s a great player. We knew that before he won Indian Wells. I’m not surprised he is now in the top ten and there is much more to come.”
If he can continue to strike the right balance between mental fortitude and physical resilience, the future could hold many more trophies for Jack Draper—one of Britain’s brightest tennis hopes in years.