More than a year after stepping away from the sport, Andy Murray’s legacy still echoes across British tennis. Defined by grit, greatness, and historic triumphs, his influence continues to shape the next generation. That enduring impact now finds a clear voice in Jack Draper, one of the United Kingdom’s brightest prospects, who stands as living proof that Murray’s resilience still inspires long after the final match.

Jack Draper recently appeared as a guest on the YouTube channel The Tennis Mentor. During the discussion, he revealed a valuable piece of advice he received directly from Andy Murray. The tip focused on how to handle left-handed opponents more effectively.

“One important thing Andy Murray taught me regarding the difficulty of reacting against left-handers. Indeed, if you are on the deuce side, position yourself a bit closer to the center line to close off their angle. Psychologically, you think you’re leaving the other side of the court open, but on the contrary, you force them to serve flat, which they hate.” Draper explained.

His struggles against left-handers are not new. Earlier in his career, he also faced challenges off the court. Ahead of Roland Garros, he revealed how difficult it was to find practice partners when he was lower-ranked.

“I remember being 340 in the world and I got a wild card into the Miami Open. I wrote my name down for practice, and no one wanted to hit with me. They were all just crossing out my name and putting someone else’s,” he told SkySports. The experience highlighted the reluctance many players feel toward practicing with left-handers.

This issue is common across the tour. At this year’s Australian Open, fellow left-hander Ben Shelton admitted it is nearly “impossible” to secure practice partners. Players usually agree only if they are about to face a lefty in competition.

“People get very paranoid about hitting with someone who is a lefty if they’re playing a righty,” Draper explained during a pre-tournament press conference in Paris. “I do understand it. It’s probably not what you’re going to face.” His comments reflected a broader mindset on tour.

Left-handers naturally create different problems. Their forehands target backhands, often the weaker wing. Their wide serves open sharp angles and unusual spins. Even left-handers admit they struggle against similar styles.

On court, the Brit has not competed since the US Open due to an arm injury. The issue affected him throughout the year. He is now set to return at the United Cup, representing Great Britain with Emma Raducanu and Mimi Xu. 

For the Brit, the comeback promises to be tough, as he recently withdrew from the UTS Grand Finals in London.

David Law expressed concern over Draper’s extended return to tennis

Jack Draper’s withdrawal from the UTS Grand Finals raised concerns across the tennis world. Fans had been eagerly awaiting his return after a long absence from the tour.

On social media, Draper explained his decision. “I’ve been working hard to get ready for the UTS, but frustratingly, I’m just not quite ready. It’s a tough call as I want nothing more than to compete but I’ve been advised to take more time. Sorry to let down fans and miss out on the event.”

The injury came at a particularly unfortunate time. Draper had just claimed his first Masters title at Indian Wells and reached the final of the Madrid Open. He was beginning to establish himself as one of the world’s top players.

However, on The Tennis Podcast, David Law shared his concern about Draper’s long-term comeback. “It concerned me hearing it because we heard just how motivated he was, how upbeat he felt about managing to get out there on the court again and start hitting serves,” he said.

Law added that Draper had been clear about his plans to play the event. “And we’ve seen some video clips of that. And he was very clear that he was going to play this event, and this would be his first sort of little dipping the toe back in, and then the goal was to get out there and be properly out there in Australia and relaunch his season. Let’s not forget just what an amazing first six months of the year he had in ’25. And that’s what he’s looking for again, and then hopefully more beyond that. Going straight into competition is really hard.”

He also emphasised the importance of easing back into competition. “You don’t really want to be doing that sort of thing from zero to that. You want something like these semi-competitive exhibition-type events, where you can feel some of the nerves and the pressures.”

With the 2026 season approaching, all eyes are on Draper. Fans will be hoping he can rebuild his form, gain momentum, and make a strong return ahead of the Australian Open.