Matt Trollope is a journalist for Tennis Australia, which has contributed this piece.

Jack Draper’s talent has been obvious ever since he reached the 2018 Wimbledon junior final aged 16.

Now it’s all coming together for the rising British star, who last weekend won his biggest career title in Vienna, cracking the top 15 as a result.

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Here are five reasons we love Jack Draper, and why we’re excited to see what he can do at Australian Open 2025.

1. His timing is perfect

Great Britain is one of the world’s biggest tennis markets. Wimbledon is held there each July, while TV viewership peaked at almost 10 million during Emma Raducanu’s 2021 US Open triumph.

But with former world No.1 Andy Murray retiring this year, and Raducanu plagued by chronic injuries, British fans could be forgiven for feeling a little uncertain.

Enter Draper. Just one month after Murray ended his storied career at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Draper reached the US Open semifinals – by far his best grand slam result.

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Since early June, when he won his first ATP title in Stuttgart, Draper has won 25 of 34 matches, adding a second trophy to his cabinet with his ATP 500 Vienna title.

Ranked 91st this time last year, Draper now sits at a career-high world No.15. His three top-10 wins this season included one over Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s.

2. He always has a good time

Speaking of Murray, few things are worth watching on repeat more than last year’s car ride with Draper.

Driving home after they helped Great Britain win all of its Davis Cup Finals group stage ties in Manchester, Draper celebrated hard, belting out I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) by Scottish band The Proclaimers.

Murray, also from Scotland and 15 years older than Draper, was not matching his compatriot’s energy.

3. His complete game

For someone 193cm tall, with such serving prowess and left-handed style, Draper plays an atypical game.

“When I was younger I was always very small, so I developed all my skills, running round the court trying to work hard for the point,” Draper explained during an Ultimate Tennis Showdown interview.

“I’d say now I’m sort of a big guy, who’s very powerful on the court but is also able to do things that maybe other tall players can’t do. I move pretty well, and I think off both sides I’m solid.”

After a first-round loss at Roland Garros, Draper felt he was being too passive at important moments in matches, and decided to adopt a more aggressive mindset.

It’s been paying off – at the US Open, he was regularly winning a higher percentage of first-serve points, crunching more winners, and rushing the net more than opponents.

But he hasn’t lost the ability to grind, defend, and mix up pace and spin, playing the drop shot to perfection in the Vienna final to keep Karen Khachanov off balance.

Combine it all, and it’s a winning combination for the 23-year-old.

4. He’s open about overcoming obstacles

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Draper, who four times he was forced to retire from matches in 2021, and three times in 2023. In between, a hamstring injury derailed him in the third round of the 2022 US Open, just as he appeared on the brink of his first big slam run. Shoulder and abdominal injuries have also plagued him.

But he hasn’t been scared to put in the hard work required to make his body more robust, and revealed at this year’s US Open he has more confidence in his body and mind than ever.

That’s encouraging, given Draper suffered stress-induced vomiting during his eventual semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner.

“I’m definitely someone who is, I think, quite an anxious human being,” he said in a candid press conference.

“I think when you add all that together sometimes I do feel a bit nausea on court, and I do feel a little bit sick when it gets tough.

“I think I’ve got quite a strong mentality… I use up a lot of mental energy a lot of the time because I want it so badly. But obviously that doesn’t necessarily help a lot of the times, especially in these five-set matches and that sort of anxiety and those feelings can build up.

“It’s definitely just something that is a real strength of mine but also a weakness, and I have to continue to work on it.”

5. He’s a marketing dream

Relatable, humorous and one of the world’s brightest rising stars.

It’s little wonder promoters, sponsors and media are lining up.

Draper has two IMG contracts – one for tennis and one for modelling. He wore Burberry at London Fashion Week in September and has also appeared in magazine shoots for Tatler and British Vogue.

While tennis is his strongest focus, the young Brit has several interests including study, music and other sports.

“There are so many athletes that wear a tracksuit all the time,” Draper told atptour.com, after listing jeans as a travel essential.

“When you’re away from the court, it’s important to have a little bit more about you than that.

“Casual clothes that you can go out with and just show that you’re not all about the tennis.”

The Australian Open begins on January 12.