"He feels like he belongs": Jack Draper's coach backs Brit No. 1 ahead of Alcaraz showdown

Jack Draper’s coach, James Trotman backed the Brit No. 1 to compete with the world’s best ahead of the Indian Wells semi-finals, where he will face 4-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is also the 2-time defending champion at Tennis Garden.

Undoubtedly, it will be a tough challenge for the world No. 14, although he has already pulled off upsets against Alcaraz. It happened at last year’s Queen’s Club Championships on grass, a noteworthy feat against a 2-time Wimbledon champion with an impressive 24-3 record (90%) on the surface.

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Their records are quite similar when comparing Alcaraz's numbers at Indian Wells. The Spaniard has claimed two titles, boasts a 20-2 record (91%), and has been impressive this week, eliminating rivals such as Denis Shapovalov (28th seed), Grigor Dimitrov (14th), and Francisco Cerundolo (25th).

High expectations surround Draper, especially from his coach, James Trotman. The British coach retired early from professional tennis due to injuries shortly after winning a couple of junior Grand Slam doubles titles (Wimbledon 1995, Australian Open 1997).

Trotman declared in an interview with Sky Sports that Draper’s recent success is the result of hard work and dedication, especially from the second half of 2024 onwards. “I think a lot of hard work has gone on in those years, a lot of game development which we are always focusing on," he said. “I think he has started to believe a lot more in himself, he feels like he belongs at this level and can perform with the best players, on the biggest stage.”

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Draper is just one step away from securing his debut in the top 10, though he will need a victory over Alcaraz in these semi-finals. Trotman praised the Brit No. 1's incredible year: “It’s been a fantastic start to 2025, but there have been limited tournaments, still. He picked up a little niggle in the off-season and had a great run down in Australia – considering the lack of tennis he had – final in Doha, and again in the semis here.”

“So, when he’s performing, he’s been performing well, but it would be nice to get a few more tournaments under the belt and I think the bigger picture stuff, we’re going to keep working on his body, keep making the right decisions around what he needs at the time.”

Jack Draper at 2024 Japan Open.

Trotman has been working with Draper since the end of 2021 when he was coaching at the LTA, and the young player was taking his first steps on the ATP Tour, already ranked in the top 250 at just 19 years old. “I remember watching him on a trip to Spain in those early days. He was unbelievably competitive, but he was up and down emotionally and also on the court. It was like an emotional roller-coaster watching him compete.”

The current world No. 14 is making his first appearance in a Masters 1000 semi-final – although he had previously reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam at last year’s US Open. With far less experience than his rival, Draper will need to bring his best tennis to pull off an upset. “Look, he’s going to have to serve well, there’s no doubt about it,” Trotman commented.

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“If Jack’s serve is firing, it’s a weapon against anybody in the world, and, if he can build pressure through that, it’s going to help his chances and help him relax, let him play a little bit more aggressively.”

“Certainly against Carlos [Alcaraz], he’s not the sort of player where you want to drop your ball speed too much and allow him to dictate and get his physicality onto court,” he concluded.

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