Judy Murray once said that her tennis-playing son searches her face for encouraging expressions when he’s on the court.
It’s a stark contrast to rising tennis star Jack Draper, 22, whose mother revealed she would rather watch him on television “with a glass of wine and his dog” and who is unlikely to be seen in the stands at the US Open this September.
Like Judy, Nicky Draper, 54, has two children and helped forge her love of sport from an early age.
However, unlike the Scottish athlete’s parents, who have in the past criticised fans for calling her involvement in Andy’s career “dominant”, Nicky has expressed that her children “are fine without her”.
“I’ve been watching every game with my dad, with my dog, swearing and cursing, jumping up and down, clapping, having a glass of wine at the same time,” he told BBC Radio of Jack’s success in New York this week.
Like Judy, Nicky Draper (pictured as a young tennis player), 54, has two children and helped forge her love of the sport from an early age.
But despite their differences, it seems Jack is still keen to “take up Andy’s legacy, what he did for British tennis.” Photographed in 2017
Nicky was a former British junior champion and introduced Jack to tennis as a child, while her other son, Ben, acts as his brother’s agent.
“I have my two children out there,” she said proudly.
Nicky, seemingly suggesting a more passive approach, also told the programme: ‘I always say you can’t make a tennis player, it has to come from within.
“He’s done an incredible job. He’s put in a lot of work over the years and it doesn’t always pay off right away.”
But it seems that despite their differences, Jack is still keen to “continue Andy’s legacy, what he did for British tennis”.
In July, he said: “I don’t see any reason why I can’t do it if I keep working hard and keep the right people around me. As Andy said: you have to focus on the process, not the result.”
Nicky previously coached at Sutton Tennis and Squash Club while her ex-husband, Roger Draper, was Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association until 2013.
Although Jack trained with his mother as a child, unlike Andy, he had a different coach even in his younger years, named Justin Sherring.
Nicky (pictured) previously coached at Sutton Tennis and Squash Club while her ex-husband Roger Draper was chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association until 2013.
While Jack trained with his mother as a child, unlike Andy, he had a different coach even in his younger years, named Justin Sherring. Pictured: Nicky as a youngster, believed to have played with Jack
Her previous four wins in New York also came in straight sets, and she is now just two matches away from securing her first Grand Slam triumph.
The rising star has dazzled with his powerful serve and powerful groundstrokes over the past 10 days.
Talking to him LTA In 2022, Nicky said: ‘Believe it or not, he first picked up a racket when he was just one year old and you could see from a very young age that Jack had incredible hand-eye coordination.
‘He always played tennis with his left hand. He wrote with his right hand, he was a right-handed thrower, but he always held the racket with his left hand.’
When Jack was about two, Nicky was doing “toddler sessions” and she said, “Jack was always involved.”
He also expressed that while he is often credited with introducing Jack to tennis, it was actually his own mother – Jack’s grandmother – who “was the inspiration.”
“She played county tennis for Oxfordshire and Dorset and my brother also played at a good level and represented Great Britain, so tennis was a big part of our family when I had my sons Ben and Jack,” Nicky said.
Jack himself has spoken openly about the special bond he has with his ‘nana’, and she is the reason behind his campaigning work with the Alzheimer’s Society.
“Those who know me will know that my nana is one of the most special and important people in my life,” he wrote in a Instagram Publish in December.
‘She was a tennis coach and my biggest support and inspiration during my childhood. Almost 10 years ago, she was diagnosed with dementia and since then her condition has been gradually worsening.
‘I’m partnering with the Alzheimer’s Society @alzheimerssoc to raise awareness and funds in the hopes that one day we can find a cure and beat this disease.
‘If you would like to find out more about the Alzheimer’s Society and the work they do, please visit the link in my bio.’
“It’s very gratifying that Jack feels so strongly[about our role in his tennis],” his grandfather Chris Entract, 80, told the Mail earlier this year.
“He knows how much it means to us that he’s doing so well. We’ve spent all these years waiting for someone in the family to make it and he wanted to make it. He knows, and I know, how good it takes to be.”
‘Jack used to be at the club in Sutton with his mother Nicky, where she coached him, hitting balls against the wall when he was three or four.
‘I was already extraordinarily good when I was very, very young. I knew I was going to be good.
“You always imagine that it could be good enough (for Wimbledon).”
Retired industrial chemist Mr Entract, who has spent the past 12 years caring for his wife, acknowledges the sadness that Brenda “cannot appreciate” Jack’s success after years of watching him train and cheering him on at competitions around the country.
Jack himself has spoken openly about his special bond with his ‘nana’ (both pictured), and she is the reason behind his campaigning work with the Alzheimer’s Society.
Retired industrial chemist Entract, who has spent the past 12 years caring for his wife, acknowledges the sadness that Brenda “can’t appreciate” Jack’s success. Jack is pictured with his grandparents as a child
Jack also praised his grandfather Chris for doing “an amazing job keeping her alive” as her carer, saying it had “definitely been very difficult for all of us”.
Draper, who hit 11 aces against De Minaur, has not dropped a set at this year’s US Open. Pictured Wednesday
He said: ‘I can say to her, ‘Look Brenda, here’s your grandson, Jack, he’s playing,’ and point at him, and she’ll just be staring at the tip of my finger. I have no idea what she’s thinking, unfortunately.’
“The young player finds it difficult that Brenda doesn’t appreciate his success,” Entract said, but added: “I’m glad to be here to see it. Jack is fantastic with Brenda, he’s very affectionate with her and always comes to give her lots of hugs and kisses.”
Jack also praised his grandfather Chris for doing “an amazing job of bringing her up” as his carer, saying “it’s definitely been very difficult for all of us”.
Draper said she visited her grandparents “daily or weekly when I was around,” adding: “Watching the person you love, your Nana, fade away a little bit is not easy. They’ve always been very close to me.”
He recalled her advice when she coached him when he was young, such as “Throw the ball up” and “Use your legs more.”
But she can no longer focus on her efforts, with Jack revealing: ‘My grandfather says I’ve got to the point now where, when he watches me on TV and sees me playing against big players, he’s staring at the wall, which is difficult.
“You have no control over it, because there is no real cure yet. You’re just watching it unfold.
“This has certainly affected my mother a lot, but I think that with time one comes to accept reality.”
It’s a triumphant moment for the young player, who has won 15 straight sets to advance to the US Open semi-finals.
Jack was in scintillating form on Wednesday night as he defeated Australian Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 to book a quarter-final meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner.
Her previous four wins in New York also came in straight sets, and she is now just two matches away from securing her first Grand Slam triumph.
The rising star has dazzled with his powerful serve and powerful groundstrokes over the past 10 days.
He said this week in New York: ‘Last year I had a tough year with injuries.
‘This year I have been able to be on the court to compete the entire tour against the best players in the world.
‘This is what I put all my effort into: playing on the biggest stages in the world.
“I am truly happy and grateful for all the wonderful people around me and we continue to want more.”
