Australian Open 2025: How a fitter, calmer Jack Draper could beat Carlos Alcaraz

After experiencing a series of injury setbacks in 2023, Jack Draper expressed his dislike for "being an injury-prone guy." Last year, he fell ill after winning his first-round match at the Australian Open and again felt unwell during his US Open semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner in September. Since then, the British player has been working hard to improve his stamina and endurance.

Now he is reaping the rewards—winning three tough five-set matches to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open, where he will face Carlos Alcaraz. Draper is aiming for his first quarter-final appearance in Melbourne, while four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz is looking to advance further in his pursuit of a "Career Grand Slam". BBC Sport is tracking the adjustments both players have made to reach this stage.

Draper is the last remaining British player in the singles draw in Melbourne, but he has had to work hard for it, having spent 12 hours and 34 minutes on court so far. Draper has shown signs of fatigue in previous tough matches, but his off-season training is starting to show results. One change has been the way he breathes. “I had a lot of sinus problems when I was a kid so I was always breathing through my mouth,” Draper said. “Breathing through your mouth isn’t very efficient when you’re anxious or you’re in long rallies and you need to recover quickly.” “I’ve been trying to change my habit and breathe through my nose better.”

Former British number one Annabel Croft has also noted Draper’s improved control of his emotions. "Jack is a lot calmer on the court than he was when he was younger. Overall, his calmness is almost zen-like," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Many great champions, like Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer, had complete control of their emotions on the court. This plays a huge part in conserving energy." In contrast, Alcaraz has been quite efficient in Melbourne, dropping just one set and spending only 6 hours and 10 minutes on court.

The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam event that the 21-year-old Alcaraz has not won—and he is looking to rectify that. BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller said Alcaraz’s form is ominous. “He has improved his serve, he looks in great physical condition, he has been in the gym, and he has made a good start in his first three matches,” Fuller said. “He is going to be very hard to beat.”

BBC Sport tennis correspondent at Melbourne Park, Jonathan Jurejko, said Draper’s performance against Alcaraz will largely depend on his condition on Saturday. After another late-night marathon against Aleksandar Vukic, Draper planned to replenish his energy with plenty of sleep and food. He did not schedule a training session for Saturday. The British number one spoke at his post-match press conference after the Vukic match, which ended around 2:30 a.m., about how he switches off from tennis and tries to relax.

Draper will feel he has answered some of his critics after coming through three consecutive five-set battles. His increased robustness is the result of hard work with his fitness coach Steve Kotze, who he calls “the best in the world,” and his physio, Will Herbert. Draper also sought professional advice to overcome the anxiety that caused him to vomit on court in New York last year. All of this work is helping him, as he put it, to “stay in it longer” in energy-sapping matches. But you feel that he will have to do it again if he is to have a chance of beating Alcaraz—if his body can cope.