What Novak Djokovic told Jack Draper he needed to improve straight after playing him at Wimbledon in 2021

Nowadays, Jack Draper is a well-established player around the top of the world rankings.

However, like all the superstars he is currently surrounded by, he was once a young hopeful seeking to get his big break in the tennis world.

This can come in many forms, whether it be a tournament victory, a shock run at a major or just a win over one of the world’s best.

Well, in 2021, Jack Draper nearly ticked two of the three off in one fell swoop when he faced Novak Djokovic in the first round of Wimbledon.

When Jack Draper nearly stunned Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2021

Handed a wildcard to compete in his first-ever Wimbledon Championships, there was a quiet buzz around this 19-year-old talent tipped to renew British hopes as Andy Murray’s career slowly crept towards a conclusion.

However, any expectation around a deep run was swiftly scuppered when the draw came out, pitting him against the then world number one Novak Djokovic in the very first round.

The hope was that he could at least make the clash competitive, with total domination expected from a man who had already won the first two Grand Slams of the year in Melbourne and Paris.

Draper was not content with rolling over and accepting his fate though, and came out firing on Centre Court.

There, he roared into a shock one-set lead, before the calculated quality of the 24-time Grand Slam champion took hold and turned the match on its head.

Regardless of the four-set defeat suffered by the Brit, he had put himself on the map by causing an almighty scare against the world’s best player.

How Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper reacted to their 2021 Wimbledon match

Reflecting on that clash afterwards, Djokovic was unsurprisingly complimentary of the Englishman and his efforts.

However, he did have some criticisms, offering advice to a teenager Draper in his post-match assessment: “He’s tall, he’s strong. He’s got that lefty serve that is very awkward for right-handed players to face, particularly on grass.

“I thought he was behaving nice on the court. He was backing himself. It was a really nice atmosphere. I think he’s got an all-around game really. A very good flat backhand, also a good forehand.

“Maybe his movement could improve I think. But he’s still young. There’s always room for improvement.”

Draper could not have agreed more, and would reflect similarly when told about Djokovic’s claims: “My movement definitely needs to improve. I’ve got a lot to improve on physically, which I will do throughout the rest of the year. My body has changed a lot over the last few years. It’s been quite tough for me.

“As Novak showed me, I’ve still got a lot to improve on. I’m glad he did because I’ve still got lots to come.

“For the rest of the year I’ll look to stay on court, be healthy, keep on improving. I feel like I can use this momentum and motivation to go forward.”

It’s ironic that nowadays, Draper needs to learn how to beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, rather than Djokovic.