Inside Jack Draper's close friendship with Jannik Sinner: From doubles partners to emotional text messages as pair prepare for US Open semi-final showdown
- Jack Draper and Jannik Sinner will face each other in the US Open semi-finals
- They played doubles together just a few weeks ago at the Canadian Open
- The pair have revealed they have actually been close friends for years
Jack Draper continued his remarkable run at the US Open on Wednesday night as he dispatched Australia's Alex de Minaur in straight sets to book his place in the semi-finals.
The British No1 had never previously been beyond the fourth round of a major, but he is now on the verge of going all the way in New York.
He has just one man standing in his way of the final - albeit a sizeable obstacle - in the shape of world No1 Jannik Sinner.
Draper and Sinner are separated by just four months in age, but it has been the Italian who has taken the tennis world by storm over the past 12 months.
He won his maiden grand slam at the Australian Open in January, and has reached the top of the world rankings by winning 15 ATP Tour titles. Draper had to wait until June for his first and only tour triumph in Stuttgart.
British No1 Jack Draper has reached the US Open semi-finals without dropping a set
Draper is now set to face world No1 Jannik Sinner (pictured) in their semi-final on Friday
Sinner (left) and Draper (right) will meet just weeks after playing doubles together in Canada
The pair reached the quarter-finals of the doubles in Montreal as their friendship blossomed
Slowly but surely, Draper has closed the gap to Sinner, though, and on Friday night he will go toe-to-toe with the 6ft 4in Italian.
But only a matter of weeks ago they were on the same side of the net playing doubles together at the Canadian Open in Montreal.
The pair got two wins under their belt before withdrawing from their quarter-final match as their friendship blossomed, and Draper has revealed they have actually been in touch for years via text messages to congratulate each other on wins and lift one another after defeats.
'We've always kept in touch since I've been on tour the last couple of years,' said Draper.
'Jannik is a good friend, someone I'm definitely close to. We send each other messages in good moments, bad moments.
'It's a tough sport to play when you're a young guy. You're kind of, you're on the road, you're playing such a relentlessly intense sport, both physically, emotionally, and it's difficult, we haven't got many friends.'
Sinner was equally complimentary of Draper in the aftermath of his four-set win over Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday.
'It was nice to share the court with him in doubles in Montreal,' he said. 'We got to know each other even more. We text each other when we have good or bad times, trying to keep us up. It's a great friendship.
'Obviously, we try to put this away for the hours we are on court. I think that's quite obvious but, you know, whenever we shake our hands we get our friendship back and it's always going to be good.'
It is little surprise that the pair get on so well given they have plenty in common.
The stylish Sinner has posed for Gucci photoshoots, one of many lucrative partnerships
Draper has posed for Vogue, and has been watched in New York by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour (centre)
Draper has been wearing oversized Nike shirts in New York, leading to some fans hilariously mocking him on social media
Some fans have joked that his interesting fashion choice is the secret to his success
Both men are striving to be the best tennis player on the planet and are thriving in another industry - modelling.
Sinner is a Gucci poster boy, while Draper did his first Vogue photoshoot back in June and has been watched in New York by the magazine's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
Draper has raised eyebrows with his oversized Nike shirts during his US Open run, with fans hilariously mocking him on social media, but he has somehow managed to pull it off while playing the best tennis of his life.
Sinner keeps things a little more simple with his fashion choices, and it works for him, but it hasn't all been plain sailing for the 23-year-old this year.
Sinner hit the headlines last month just days before the US Open got underway when it was revealed that he tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in two drugs tests back in March.
He escaped a ban after claiming the substance entered his system due to his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi giving him a massage after using an over-the-counter spray containing the steroid to treat an open wound on his finger.
The explanation was accepted by a tribunal panel, who deemed there was 'no fault or negligence' on Sinner's part, but controversial Australian player and commentator Nick Kyrgios has called for Sinner to be punished more severely.
Sinner's steroid scandal has not affected his relationship with Draper, though, and the duo will head into Friday's showdown as firm friends. But it will be strictly business once the match begins.
Sinner has put his steroid scandal behind him to move into the last four in New York
But he knows more than most that he cannot take Draper lightly when they clash on Friday
Sinner is the clear favourite. Despite being similar ages, he has more experience and been far more consistent than Draper since arriving on the world stage.
But he will know more than most that Draper cannot be taken lightly. The 22-year-old Brit has not dropped a set in his opening five matches in New York, and Sinner has seen up close and personal how devastating Draper can be if he finds his rhythm on the court.
It looks set to be a fascinating battle between two players with the ultimate respect for one another.
Fans can expect a handshake and a hug at the net once the match finishes, but only one man will have a US Open final to look forward to on Sunday, as Draper bids to get one over his friend to move one step closer to achieving his American dream.
