Andy Murray was the undisputed king of British tennis for a long time – but for most of his career there was no obvious successor.

Draper put himself in a favorable position by taking a set from Novak Djokovic on his 2021 Wimbledon debut, but injuries and fitness problems over the next few years threatened to derail his progress.

However, in 2024 he will be fully fit again and at his last Wimbledon match Murray was full of praise for his Davis Cup teammate.

“Jack definitely has what it takes to get to the top,” Murray said.

“He’s a really exciting player and I think he has a great future.”

Although he was eliminated in the second round at SW19, Draper’s performance in New York shows why Murray thinks so highly of him.

And Draper’s comments about Murray following his fourth-round win over Machac in New York show that those feelings are mutual.

“I miss being around his smelly shoes and all his smelly clothes,” Draper said.

“But Andy is a legend and if I could have half the career he did, I would be a happy man.”

Draper’s success so far means he follows 2012 champion Murray, 1997 runner-up Greg Rusedski and 2004 semi-finalist Tim Henman as British tennis players to have reached the singles semi-finals during the Open Era in New York.