Jack Draper: Will Andy Murray inadvertently joining the coaching staff add to the pressure or help the former US Open semi-finalist? | Tennis News

Jack Draper announced earlier this week that Andy Murray has joined his coaching staff for the grasscourt season, but will it put pressure on his game?

Draper has endured a tough 12 months with injury and will miss this month’s French Open with a knee problem, but hopes to return in June ahead of Queen’s and Wimbledon.

British players are thrown off the top in the grasscourt season though Sky Sports Tennis‘ Laura Robson wondered if Murray’s presence might have an indirect effect on Draper.

“In some ways it’s very beneficial to have Andy in his corner but in other ways there’s pressure,” he said.

“I don’t know which way I’m leaning because the focus is now going to be on that first match back, wherever it is. That probably won’t sound right, given that he doesn’t play a lot of tennis. It’s been a tough time with injuries for almost a year now.

“Knowing, going in, that everyone expects him to play well probably adds another layer to it but I haven’t decided which way I’m leaning on that yet.”

British No 2 Draper has also announced that he has parted company with Jamie Delgado after working under Murray’s coach for just six months.

Four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, Tim Henman, said: “I was surprised that Jack and Jamie Delgado were separated because they had been working together for a long time but they hadn’t had much time in tournaments.

“We saw them at Indian Wells and Jack looked like he was playing well, so that really surprised me.

“When I heard about Andy Murray coming into the grasscourt season, I think that’s a good opportunity for Jack with Andy’s obvious experience as a home player; at Queen’s, Wimbledon, his record speaks for itself, so it’s a really good opportunity.”

How can Murray help Draper?

Murray’s coaching career began a few months after he retired from tennis in August 2024 when Novak Djokovic announced that the three-time Grand Slam champion would coach him.

The partnership lasted only five months when Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Australian Open, but failed to win any ATP titles under Murray.

But, Draper is in a different phase of his career and his most difficult Grand Slam to date has actually been Wimbledon – where Murray won in 2013 and 2016.

“Jack hasn’t had the best results on grass yet and I think that’s where Andy, with his knowledge and experience, can play an important role,” said Henman.

“I’m thinking too [he can] help Jack shine. Andy will attract a lot of attention at that time of year with the British tournaments, the British crowd, so I think that’s where Andy can have a positive effect on Jack’s game and Jack’s mentality in those grass court tournaments as long as he’s fit. “

Prior to last summer, Draper had been making strides as one of the biggest challengers behind the nearly unstoppable duo at the top of men’s tennis in Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

She reached the semifinals of the 2024 US Open and won the 2025 Indian Wells title, including defeating Alcaraz in the semifinals and runner-up at the Madrid Open, where she reached world No. 4.

Draper was stunned in the second round at Wimbledon, admitting his earlier game was exposed, then suffered an arm injury at the US Open that cut short his season.

The 24-year-old returned to the field in February but was still not 100 percent with his arm, and now has a knee injury.

It means Draper is about to fall out of the world’s top 100 but Henman believes Murray can help his compatriot keep an eye on the ATP rankings.

“If you look from the outside and come from a position of experience, it’s very easy to say ‘rank doesn’t matter’ but if you’re that person, and you used to be in the top five in the world, and now your rank has dropped out of 100 that’s very frustrating,” he explained.

“You want to go out on the field and compete, show your ability and when you are injured as an athlete it is a very bad time.

“I’m thinking of having an experienced voice like Andy to say to Jack ‘we’re looking at the long term here, we’ve got to build a little ladder, you’ve got to be fit and well so you can go out to court and do justice for yourself’.

“We’ve talked a lot about the mental side of the game and I think this will be very important for Jack to manage his expectations. He’s been out for a long time, so start small and really build and I’m sure Andy will be carrying that message on.”

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