Although he should have been laying the foundations for his promising tennis future, Jack Draper spent much of the formative years of his professional career watching from the sidelines. He simply couldn’t keep fit. His countless injury problems meant that while his talent was always undeniable, it was unclear for a long time if and when his body would be able to develop it.

Draper has finally arrived at the highest level. The 22-year-old continued his breakthrough in New York by defeating an ailing world No. 10 Alex de Minaur and maintaining his focus and composure under pressure to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Five matches into his New York odyssey, Draper, seeded 25th, has yet to drop a set and has conceded just 36 games, the fifth fewest he has lost in the last 40 years, on his way to the US Open semi-finals. In the first Grand Slam tournament since Andy Murray retired from the Olympics, Draper is the first Briton to reach the US Open semi-finals since Murray, his friend and idol, won his first Grand Slam title here in 2012.

Draper will now break into the world top 20 for the first time in his career, a feat achieved by only nine Britons in the history of the ATP Tour. He will face either his good friend Jannik Sinner, the top seed, or 2021 champion and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev.

“This isn’t an overnight thing for me,” Draper said. “I believed for a long time that I had done the work that was necessary and done the right things, and I knew my time would come. I didn’t know when it would be, but hopefully I can do a lot of great things from here. I’m very proud of myself.”

Standing between Draper and his first major semi-final was one of the best defensive players in the world. De Minaur’s ability to prolong points and turn his matches into painful physical battles made this an extremely tough match for Draper, who had lost all three previous encounters. Having only faced superior top-five opponents in his three previous quarter-finals, this was also the most important match of the 25-year-old’s career.

While De Minaur looked suitably tense at the start, Draper was determined to dictate his terms, forcing the Australian behind the baseline with his heavy topspin forehand, which he can sometimes be too hesitant with, and then looking for opportunities to dictate with it. Having hit his forehand with authority throughout the set, Draper just about dragged himself over the line despite nerves and a poor first serve rate.

After winning the first set, Draper continued to relax and dominate the baseline, breaking serve for a 2-1 lead. But it gradually became clear that De Minaur was in physical pain. Before the US Open, the Australian had not competed since Wimbledon, where he injured his hip and withdrew before the quarterfinals against Novak Djokovic. Although he seemed in good form during the tournament, he was noticeably wincing after strenuous points from the start of the second set. “I wish I felt better. Let’s just put it that way,” he said afterwards. “It’s tough. It’s a big opportunity. It’s a big opportunity.”

On the other side of the net, Draper had his own physical issues. After stretching his leg between points early in the second set, he took a medical timeout at 2-1 and had the trainer bandage his right thigh. Although he occasionally seemed hesitant to walk, Draper’s movement was not significantly affected. “At the end of the day, it didn’t get any worse and I felt good towards the end,” Draper said.

With his confidence high and De Minaur struggling but still fighting, this became a big mental challenge for Draper. He had to stay focused, take his chances and not allow De Minaur to gain a foothold in the game.

After failing to score a double break in the second set despite facing five break points, the momentum almost shifted when a nervous Draper lost three games in a row at 4-2 and served to hold at 4-5 in the second set. He responded brilliantly, delivering some of his best serves of the day before taking two more games. Having built a two-set lead, he persisted, playing with clear, relentless aggression until the contest was over and he was suddenly just two games away from a Grand Slam title.

“I kept believing in myself and kept working,” Draper said. “(Injuries) are tough moments. This isn’t a tough moment compared to that. It’s a privilege and an honor to be in this position. That’s why I work so hard, so I just have to keep going and keep my momentum going.”