Jack Draper Rockets to World No. 4 After French Open Masterclass—Eyes Historic Wimbledon 2025 Triumph

Jack Draper steps onto the red clay of Roland-Garros this week carrying the highest seeding of his young career—and with British hopes resting squarely on his left-handed serve. The 23-year-old Londoner, now ranked No. 5 in the world, opens his French Open 2025 campaign against Italian southpaw Mattia Bellucci, ranked 68, in Tuesday’s first round. A Breakthrough Year Draper’s rise has been rapid. Since cracking the top 10 last autumn he has lifted titles in Adelaide, Acapulco and Madrid, pushing his season win-loss record to 32-8. The surge moved him to a career-high No. 5 earlier this month, making him the highest-ranked British man since Andy Murray’s stint at No. 1 in 2017. Clay-Court Question Marks Despite success on hard courts, Draper is yet to record a main-draw victory at Roland-Garros. He fell in the opening round on his two previous visits, and the Parisian clay remains the only Grand Slam surface where he has not reached the second week. His draw doesn’t get easier if he clears Bellucci: a potential second-round meeting with experienced Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo looms, with world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz projected in the quarter-finals. What’s Working • Serve +1: Draper leads the ATP Tour in first-serve points won (83 %) on clay this season. • Lefty forehand: his high, heavy cross-court forehand forces right-handers off the court, opening space for backhand winners. • Fitness: after an injury-plagued 2023, the Briton revamped his conditioning program in Barcelona and has played 12 consecutive events without withdrawal. Areas to Watch • Court positioning: Draper tends to stand deep on return, conceding baseline control on slower clay. • Unforced errors under pressure: in Rome he committed 38 miscues in a three-set loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas. • Best-of-five stamina: he has never gone the distance on clay in a Slam. Head-to-Head vs Bellucci The pair have never met at tour level, but both are left-handed shot-makers. Bellucci thrives on long rallies and owns an upset win over Holger Rune in Monte Carlo. Draper’s superior serve and power give him the edge, yet patience will be crucial against the Italian’s counterpunching. British Tennis Landscape With Cameron Norrie outside the top 20 and Andy Murray nearing retirement, Draper is emerging as Britain’s new standard-bearer. A deep run in Paris could cement his status and boost his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, a goal he outlined after his Madrid triumph. Match Time and How to Watch Draper vs Bellucci is scheduled for the second match on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, not before 13:00 local time (12:00 BST). UK viewers can watch live on Sky Sports Tennis, while global streaming is available via the Roland-Garros official app. Verdict If Draper translates his hard-court aggression to clay and keeps the unforced-error count low, a maiden Roland-Garros victory—and a potential second-week breakthrough—are within reach. Britain’s new No. 1 now has the stage; Paris will reveal whether he can command it.