British tennis number one Jack Draper has advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open for the first time in his career, where he will face world number one Jannik Sinner.

The 22-year-old is the first Briton to reach this stage of a Grand Slam since Andy Murray in 2012, which he later won.

And he did it without losing a single set.

“This isn’t something that happens overnight for me,” Draper said. after reaching the final four on Flushing Meadows.

“I believed for a long time that I was putting in the work and doing the right things, and I knew my time would come.”

It may not have happened overnight, but the 25th-ranked player has seen something of a meteoric rise.

Here’s everything you need to know about Draper, from his career so far to his incredible US Open performance and his relationship with his next opponent.

Experience and career to date

The 193cm left-hander from Sutton turned professional in 2018, introduced to the sport by his mother, Nicky, a former British junior champion.

She took him to his first training session at Sutton Tennis and Squash Club, where she was a coach, when he was just six.

Tennis runs in both his blood; his father, Roger, was an accomplished amateur tennis player and Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) from 2006 to 2013.

Draper really started to make his mark in 2021 with impressive wins over Jannik Sinner and Alexander Bublik at the 2021 Cinch Championships at the Queen’s Club.

At the start of the 2022 season, he won his first ATP Challenger title in Forli and then, at the age of 20, became the youngest Briton to win three ATP Challenger singles titles – winning three trophies in the space of two months.

Things didn’t always go Draper’s way, however, as injuries hampered his development.

Perhaps that’s why in his Grand Slam achievements so far at the US Open, he has only reached the fourth round once – at the 2023 US Open.

However, his career is not limited to tennis – he is also a professional model working for the international modeling agency IMG.

Overcoming injuries

Speaking about his setbacks following his quarter-final victory, Draper admitted there were times when he had serious doubts about his career.

“There were times when I thought about quitting or, ‘Am I cut out for this sport? Am I really good enough?’ And things like that,” he said.

“I think it helps that I’ve been through a lot of tough times in my career, I’ve had injuries and relapses.

“I still believed in myself, I still worked. Those were difficult moments. This is not a difficult moment compared to that. It’s a privilege and an honor to be in this position.”

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His US Open campaign followed Draper’s improved results outside the Grand Slam stage, when he won his first ATP title at the Stuttgart Open in June, surpassing Cameron Norrie become the new British number one.

He previously reached the ATP Finals in Sofia and Adelaide.

His success at the US Open came after he was knocked out of Wimbledon in July after losing to Norrie in the round of 64.

US Open Achievements to Date

Draper’s path to the semi-finals was clear, as he easily defeated early opponents Zhang Zhizhen, Facundo Diaz Acosta and Botic van de Zandschulp without dropping a single set.

It was exciting for his fans, but given Draper’s form, it probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise to his opponents.

His quarter-final victory was more impressive as he defeated the world’s tenth-best player, Alex de Minaur.

He defeated the 25-year-old Australian in a dominant clash, winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

He dominated from the outset in the match against the unsympathetic De Minaur, and before the match there were rumours that the Australian had interrupted his earlier training session.

Draper made the most of the opportunity and two breaks of serve saw him take the first set – although he missed five set points before finally winning his sixth with a cross-court forehand.

Next up: Jannik Sinner

It is no secret that the world number one is the favorite not only in the semifinals, but also in the entire tournament, having defeated former champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals.

It would be the Italian’s first appearance at the US Open, but he already has one Grand Slam title under his belt – victory at the Australian Open earlier this year.

Speaking after his quarter-final victory, Draper said he considered Sinner a “good friend.”

“We message each other in good times and bad,” he said at a news conference.

“It’s a tough sport to play when you’re young. You’re on the road, you’re playing such an unrelentingly intense sport, both physically and emotionally, and it’s tough, we don’t have a lot of friends. So having the support of someone who’s been through it themselves is really important.”

The pair played doubles together just a few weeks ago at the Canadian Open.

“I have a ton of respect for Jannik and it was amazing to play doubles with him in Montreal,” Draper said.

“I think we played great doubles together. I’ve never won a doubles match on this tour, so playing with the number one in the world was amazing and I definitely learned a lot about doubles and had a lot of fun with him.”

“Murray is there for me if I need him”

Draper is the first Briton since Murray to reach the semi-finals of the US Open and is hoping to follow in his footsteps and win the tournament, as the recently retired star did 12 years ago.

However, Draper says he has yet to receive a response from Murray.

“I think he’s enjoying his retirement,” he said, adding: “I’ve spoken to Andy a few times in the past about playing big Grand Slam matches and things like that.

“I think that when people you respect give you advice, of course it is always good, but ultimately it is about their own experiences.

“I think it’s important to experience these situations yourself and understand them yourself, because everyone reacts differently to different pressures, different situations, different emotions.

“I know Andy is there for me if I need him, but at the same time I feel pretty relaxed. I feel pretty good and I’m just taking it day by day and wanting to keep going.”

When will the semi-final take place and who might they face in the final?

The final will be held tomorrow at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but the time has not yet been set.

If Draper wins, he will face an American on home turf in the final – either 12th seed Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe, who just won his third straight US Open quarter-final.

It will be a tough challenge for Draper, especially as the public will undoubtedly be keen to see an American in the final for the first time since 2006.

But don’t walk past the UK’s number one who says, “I’ve got a lot more levels to go.”