(Reuters) -Briton Jack Draper once viewed himself as a Ferrari with reliability issues but the world number six said on Wednesday his hard work away from the court has given him the engine to cope with the physical demands of the Grand Slams.
Draper ramped up his Wimbledon preparations by shrugging off illness and battling from a set down at the Queen’s Club Championships to beat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 3-6 6-2 7-6(5) and set up a quarter-final against American Brandon Nakashima.
The 23-year-old is seen as his country’s big hope at the Grand Slams following the retirement of three-time major winner Andy Murray last year, and he is enjoying his best season on tour after winning an ATP 1000 title at Indian Wells in March.
“I’ve always worked really hard off the court,” said Draper, who also reached last year’s U.S. Open semi-finals.
“That’s helped me play more consistently on the tour. I’ve felt better and better every Grand Slam I have played.
“Before, I felt my energy wasn’t that strong and I felt I looked like a bit of a Ferrari but I was a bit of a Toyota, like broke down quite easy,” he joked.
“Now I’m starting to feel generally stronger and confident in myself.”
Draper’s run in the London tune-up event means that he will be seeded fourth at Wimbledon, which begins on June 30.
“My goal is to peak at Wimbledon,” he added.
“I’ve been hitting the ball better and better in practice, but sometimes that doesn’t necessarily adjust to the match court straightaway.
“The tennis I know I can play and the tennis that’s got me to the position I’m in, there is still a lot of improvement to come.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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