If there was any doubt Jack Draper was the next big thing in British tennis, he’s just laid it to rest by climbing into the world top ten.
With his athletic frame and good looks, and fans such as the Princess of Wales and Anna Wintour, he seems destined for stardom both on and off the court.
Indeed, he’s already been an ambassador for fashion powerhouse Burberry. That’s something of a contrast to his predecessors Andy Murray and Tim Henman who were more associated with a fruit squash brand.
PR guru Mark Borkowski said Draper’s worth had probably doubled in the last six months – and could go stratospheric. He told the Mail: ‘Draper is a marketer’s dream. With [global management agency] IMG already in his corner and brands like Nike and Vodafone whispering sweet deals in his ear, expect his net worth to balloon.
‘The British sporting PR machine will now go into overdrive, positioning him as the Next Big Thing. Wimbledon will be the great litmus test – survive the dizzying expectations, and he’s gold dust. If he keeps winning, he stands to make £20million to £40million over the next five years.’
Draper, 23, clinched his number seven spot in the world rankings by winning his first Masters title – the tier below the four Grand Slam tournaments – at Indian Wells in California, at the weekend.
His victory did not go unnoticed in royal circles, with tennis fan the Princess of Wales tweeting: ‘Congratulations, Jack. A fantastic performance. Well Done’. It was signed off with the letter ‘C’, a particularly personal touch.
Perhaps Kate is one of the 325,000 followers on Draper’s Instagram account, where he combines professional shots of his career to date with snaps of him relaxing with friends and travelling. But fans hoping for minute-by-minute insights into his life may be disappointed. He has less than 80 posts, dating back to summer 2018.
Draper’s rise from sporting obscurity to the great British hope of the men’s game has coincided with growing interest in his ‘look’. He has been photographed for society bible Tatler and British Vogue.
Indeed, he appears to have something of a superfan in Ms Wintour, Vogue’s global editor-in-chief. The pair sat next to each other on the front row of last year’s London Fashion Week, while she has also watched some of his matches.
Draper, from Sutton in Surrey, is relaxed about his association with the fashion world, saying: ‘People say, ‘Oh, he’s got a modelling contract’. I really don’t. I’ve done a couple of things here and there.’
For now, he remains firmly committed to tennis. Indian Wells represents the biggest win of his career, after overcoming injuries and even wondering whether he should quit.
