Moratoglou strongly supports Draper as the third top player in tennis: Without injuries, he would definitely be in the world’s top five.

As the 2025 season concluded, Sinner and Alcaraz continued their "duopoly," claiming all four Grand Slam titles, while the debate over who could become the "third man in tennis" heated up. In response, Serena Williams' former coach, Moratoglou, firmly backed British player Draper, believing he fully possesses the qualities to challenge the twin stars.

Moratoglou stated in an interview: "I said years ago that if Draper could avoid injuries, there is no doubt he could become a top-five player in the world. He has the potential to compete with Alcaraz and Sinner. He has all the attributes, especially the most important one — the mindset. He’s an excellent competitor, very ambitious and intelligent. I really admire him. His playing style is very exciting and powerful. His main problem in recent years has been injuries. Even though he only played six months this year, he still reached the top ten, which shows his level is very high when healthy."

Moratoglou’s remarks are indeed accurate. Draper showed impressive form early in the 2025 season, reaching three tour finals and demonstrating his potential as a top-tier player. At the Queen’s Club Championships in June, he made it to the semifinals, a result that pushed his live ranking to world No. 4. This marked the highest ranking of Draper’s career and his first time being seeded in the top four at a Grand Slam event.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that this season his tour match win rate reached 76.9%, ranking fifth among all ATP players, only behind top stars like Sinner and Alcaraz. This statistic confirms that when Draper is healthy, he truly has the strength to compete with the elite.

However, Draper’s injury issues surfaced in the latter half of the season. In July, he withdrew from the Toronto Masters due to an arm injury, planning to return at the US Open. Unfortunately, his recovery did not go as expected, and he had to pull out before his second-round match at the US Open. On September 9, Draper officially announced he would miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to the arm injury.

This injury caused his live ranking to drop to No. 11, overtaken by Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Falling from fourth to outside the top ten, injury once again became the biggest obstacle in Draper’s career.

Sports health expert Stephen Smith conducted an in-depth analysis of Draper’s injury. He pointed out that Draper suffers from a "repetitive strain" issue, likely caused by the combination of his serve and forehand motions.

Smith warned, "If he continues hitting the same way, these areas will become inflamed again, the pain will worsen, and eventually it could lead to stress fractures." The expert even compared Draper’s situation to that of Argentine star Juan Martin del Potro.

Del Potro experienced similar repetitive motion wrist problems, eventually requiring multiple surgeries. "Draper needs to realize he must make changes, or his career could be very short," Smith concluded.

Moratoglou believes that all the data indicate Draper has the capability to break into the world’s elite, and he possesses every favorable condition. Although Draper’s career is currently on pause due to injury, Moratoglou sees no risk as long as Draper avoids heavy hitting in the short term. At this moment, he is on the right path to recovery.

Currently, Draper has registered to participate in the UTS Finals taking place in London from December 5 to 7. This decision reflects his strong desire to return to competition as soon as possible.

On social media, Draper told his fans: "I have been through this before... and I always come back stronger because I am motivated to fulfill my potential as a player."

Regarding Moratoglou’s comments, some netizens remarked, "Moratoglou has a great eye for talent. If even he praises Draper like this, it means the British youngster truly has top-level potential. But his arm injury clearly needs rest now, which is directly linked to his hitting technique. He may need to adjust his movement and stroke mechanics. Nevertheless, he remains one of the most promising players in men’s tennis today."

So, what do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)