Draper admits anxiety, nerves contributed to physical demise in US Open semi-final loss to Sinner

Jack Draper has dealt with all kinds of physical problems throughout the early stages of his career. The 22-year-old has done well to reach No 25 in the rankings (he will be No 20 on Monday), but those problems may be the reason why is not even higher.

They were among the reasons why Draper’s 2024 US Open run came to an end on Friday afternoon. It may not have mattered, of course. Even at 100 percent he was a big underdog against world No 1 Jannik Sinner. However, a physical demise was certainly the main culprit in Draper only managing to be competitive for two sets rather than three — or more.

It was not an injury this time, but rather an illness that Draper admitted may have been a result of anxiety in the biggest match of his career. The Brit, who ended up losing to Sinner 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2, vomited several times late in the second set and early in the third.

I’m definitely someone who is, I think, quite an anxious human being. I think when you add all that together sometimes I do feel a bit (of) nausea on court, and I do feel a little bit sick when it gets tough.

Jack Draper

“I think obviously it’s a big occasion for me,” Draper noted during his press conference. “Even though I generally feel pretty relaxed and stuff, I definitely felt more excited today — a few more nerves around. I’m definitely someone who is, I think, quite an anxious human being. I think when you add all that together sometimes I do feel a bit (of) nausea on court, and I do feel a little bit sick when it gets tough.

“I didn’t have any problems before the match, but it obviously just built up.”

Humid conditions and a tough opponent — perhaps the toughest — also did not help.

“It was extremely humid today,” Draper added. “(It) hasn’t been pretty much the whole week as of yet. I think it was obviously a very physical match. Obviously that’s why Jannik is No. 1 player in the world, because when you play the top players, the intensity is different. It’s a step up.”

DRAPER’S ILL FEELING ONLY GOT WORSE AND WORSE

Throwing up didn’t help, either.

“You don’t feel better (after),” Draper said of the frequent vomiting. “You just feel worse and worse, because you can’t put anything in your body. When you’re playing long matches, you need to be able to drink and to eat things to give your body the supplies it needs to keep on going.

“But obviously when you’re feeling sick and stuff like that, you can’t put anything inside your body because it just comes straight out. It’s the worst feeling ever. You can’t move around the court when that happens.

So, no, it’s a horrible feeling and you feel more dizzy and more sick the more you are.”

Draper did, of course, praise his opponent’s efforts. He said Sinner beat him “fair and square” and was “too strong.” Sinner’s superiority — not only over Draper but also over basically everyone on tour — will see the top seed play in his second Grand Slam final on Sunday against either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe.

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