Jack Draper gets 'emotional' as Brit told about Rafael Nadal comparisons at French Open

When became only the second left-hander this century to enter the world's top five last month, he tried to laugh off the parallels with his idol Rafa Nadal. "I haven't won 14 Roland Garros' just yet!" he said. But after reaching the fourth round of the Spaniard's favourite event for the first time, the comparison is getting serious.

The world No.5's forehand has been recorded at 82mph and with 3,600 revs per minute in this tournament - more than the 22-time Grand Slam winner here. And seven-time Grand Slam winner Mats Wilander said: "Jack Draper has the same forehand topspin as Rafael Nadal except he hits it harder. I love the intensity that he puts into every point, which is simply that of a potential Grand Slam winner."

Nadal's lasso-like forehand cross-court action sent the ball kicking high into the backhand of right-handers. Neither Roger Federer nor Andy Murray could ever beat him at the French Open. Draper, who faces world No.62 Alexander Bublik today, said: "I guess it's hard for me to look at my own forehand because I'm the one hitting the ball.

"I see it when I'm on YouTube and I'm watching the highlights. I can appreciate it's getting better and better but I still watch Rafa sometimes and I'm thinking: 'His forehand's a joke!' So I want to get to that level but I definitely understand the comparison of how it's kicking up and the spin and the speed of it."

Madrid Masters finalist Draper showed his growing mastery on clay by deploying 15 drop shots in his crushing win over teenager Joao Fonseca. And Rafa was his role model at the start of his career. "I used to wear the kit," said Draper, 23. "I was watching some of his stuff the other day because he obviously had the ceremony.

"I watched it on YouTube. It was amazing. I felt a bit emotional. Those guys leaving the game is tough - but I more feel for players like Gael Monfils who had to deal with them in their prime. I modelled myself on Rafa's game but more so his competitive nature - I want to have that as part of my game, his doggedness, his ability to never go away.

Andy (Murray) was the same but I loved Rafa to be honest, the grunt, everything. He was someone who massively inspired me to become the player I am and hopefully I can get to his level." Draper won his second ATP match against the talented but temperamental Bublik at Queen's Club in 2021 after beating Jannik Sinner - his potential quarter-final opponent here - in the first round.

The British No.1 survived a first-set battering from Mattia Bellucci in the first round and weathered a Gael Monfils storm in the second. Bublik will come out firing in the last match on Court Suzanne-Lenglen today but the world No.5 - like Murray in his prime - has the confidence in his own ability to keep calm and carry on.

"I think a lot of that is about building my base level," he said. "That's the key to being a consistent player and that's something I've wanted to achieve for a while now and I think I'm doing it better and better. I don't need to play my best level to win matches and be solid in matches because I know my base level is high.

"If I'm able to play point by point at that level, I know it's tough for guys to beat me. Especially someone if they're up and down, like Monfils or Bublik, they're gonna play some great tennis and yes they could beat me for sure. But I know its going to be very tough because I'm always going to be at that level."