Jack Draper secures big rankings bump with Stuttgart semi-final triumph

Jack Draper ensured that he will rise to at least No 32 in the ATP Rankings next week after easing past Brandon Nakashima in the Stuttgart Open semi-finals.

Draper was already assured of becoming the new British No 1 but is also set to jump eight places in the rankings achieving a new career-high position in the process.

The 22-year-old will go on to play the winner of the match between No 5 seed Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Berrettini in what will be his first final on grass in Stuttgart.

To reach the last four the young Brit had to get beyond Austrian Sebastian Ofner (7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)), American Marcos Giron (6-4, 3-6, 6-3) and another American in No 4 seed Frances Tiafoe (5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (1)).

If Musetti reaches the final as well,  will not be able to break into the top 30 this week even if he wins the title in Stuttgart.

Due to a shoulder injury, Draper missed the whole grass-court season in 2017, but he is now expected to start Wimbledon as the top-ranked player in the United Kingdom.

Draper will take the top spot among Brits on Monday as a result of Cameron Norrie’s defeat against Jack Pinnington Jones at the Nottingham Open.

2023 was a tough campaign for the Englishman and came after he achieved new career-high ranking 22 times across the 2022 campaign, breaking into Top 200 in February, Top 100 in June and Top 50 in September.

Stuttgart will be his third career ATP final after runs to the championship match in Sofia in 2023 and Adelaide earlier this year.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Draper said on court after the win over Nakashima.

“I’ll give it my best shot (in the final). Everyone here is an incredible player so if I come out and play as I have been I’ll give myself a good shot (of winning).”

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Chasing his first ever title, he insists that he has learned a lot of lessons through the clay court season and from watching the French Open final.

“After the first few events on the clay where I had chances in all the matches I lost, I realised I was trying to make them miss and these top players don’t miss, especially in those big moments,” Draper said.

‘I think we see it with (Carlos) Alcaraz in the final of the French Open, you’ve got to go out there at this level with the way that men’s tennis is changing, to win the match and you’ve got to win it on your own terms. If you don’t then these guys are going to beat you. So I had to really look at myself and think how am I going to change?”