British No.1 tennis sensation Jack Draper stunned the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the Round of 16 at the Indian Wells Open 2026 on Thursday, March 12. The dramatic victory has put the Brit back in the spotlight, and fans across the internet are eager to know more about the rising star.
So let's explore his rise in tennis and more.
The defending champion at Tennis Paradise defeated Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 in a thrilling three-set battle to register his first career win over the Serbian legend.
Who is Jack Draper?
The 24-year-old Jack Draper was born in Sutton, London. His journey in tennis began almost as soon as he could walk, because the sport runs deep in his family.
When Draper was just three years old, he was already practising by hitting balls against a wall at the Sutton Tennis and Squash Club, where his mother Nicky Draper worked as a tennis coach.
He first gained global recognition in 2018, when he reached the boys' singles final at Wimbledon and finished the year ranked Junior World No.7. Soon after, he turned professional and began climbing the ranks of the ATP Tour.
Draper made his ATP Tour main-draw debut in 2021 at the Miami Open as a wildcard entry. At just 19 years old and ranked No.253 in the world, Draper made his Grand Slam main-draw debut at Wimbledon.
Playing against Novak Djokovic, he shocked the world by winning the first set 6-4 with his left-handed serve and fearless hitting. Djokovic eventually won the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, but Draper had already announced himself on the big stage.
Career Stats:
His career defining moment came in June 2024, when he won his first ATP title at the Stuttgart Open on grass. Just days later at Queen's Club, he defeated defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Later that year, Draper won his second ATP title at the Vienna Open. In 2025, he achieved the biggest milestone of his career by winning the Indian Wells Masters (ATP Masters 1000) title, defeating Holger Rune 6-2, 6-2 in the final.
He also reached his career-best ranking in June 2025 being World No.4. Overall, Draper holds a career record of 111 wins and 61 losses.
However, his momentum was disrupted later that year after he suffered a left-arm injury, which sidelined him for much of the 2025 season, including the US Open, and delayed his return until early 2026.
As of 2026, Draper is ranked World No.14 and continues his comeback on the ATP Tour.
Also Read:Jannik Sinner Survives Joao Fonseca Firestorm to Reach Indian Wells Open Quarterfinals
Interesting Facts About Jack Draper
1. Cross-dominant athlete:
Despite playing tennis left-handed, Draper is naturally right-handed for most other tasks. He writes, throws, and even plays golf with his right hand. This is a rare trait that he shares with tennis great Rafael Nadal.
2. A presence in the fashion world:
Draper has also stepped into the fashion industry and is a global brand ambassador for Burberry. He has appeared in Vogue and is known for experimenting with bold hairstyles like buzzcuts, mullets, and mohawks.
3. Tennis runs in the family:
Tennis is a family affair for Draper. His mother was a former junior British champion and professional tennis coach, while his father Roger Draper previously served as the CEO of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
4. A surprising fear:
Draper, 6'4" fearless athlete has one phobia - the fear of sharks in the ocean. He avoids swimming in the sea. And, just like many of us, this fear in him is a result of thrilling movies like Jaws as a child.
5. Detective dream:
If he hadn't become a professional tennis player, Draper once revealed his dream job would be to work as a detective. He is also pursuing an online degree through the Open University.
6. Charity work inspired by family: Draper is an ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society, inspired by his grandmother Brenda's battle with the disease. He has participated in charity initiatives such as Memory Walks to raise awareness and funds.
Jack Draper Net Worth
Draper's total net worth is not officially confirmed. However, he has earned $8,639,642 in combined singles and doubles prize money as of early 2026.
By reaching the quarterfinals of Indian Wells 2026, the British star has already guaranteed himself at least $193,645 in additional prize money.
Jack Draper vs Novak Djokovic Indian Wells Match Report:
The 14th-seeded Jac Draper rallied past third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) to reach the quarterfinals in Indian Wells.
"For me to be on court again these last few weeks has been emotional for me and I'm really grateful for it,"Drapersaid. "To come out here against Novak, for me the greatest tennis player there is, and someone I've been admiring and watching since I was a little kid. To do that, I'm just incredibly proud of myself."
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz didn't have nearly as hard a time reaching the quarterfinals, as he was dominant on his serve during a 6-1, 7-6 (2) win over 12th-seeded Casper Ruud.
The Spaniard never faced break point and lost only nine of his 49 service points in all, including going 29 for 33 on first-service points (87.9%). He fired seven aces.
The first set was a breeze, as he broke the serve of his Norwegian foe twice right away for a 4-0 lead. Ruud was better in the second set and held serve throughout, but Alcaraz took the first four points of the tiebreaker before winning on his second match point.
He'll take on British 27th seed Cameron Norrie in the quarterfinals.
"I'm just really happy about playing that kind of level," said Alcaraz, the two-time Indian Wells champion who became the youngest man to reach the quarterfinals five times. "I'm really happy to get through and hopefully (I can) play at this level in the next round.
"I think I can have fun and enjoy, but I can also turn my mind and focus again. I try to play my best tennis on every point, but when a point deserves a smile, I gotta do that. That's what happened today. Casper played some great points, and I had to enjoy that. That's why we both play tennis."
Norrie eased past Australian Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-2. Norrie broke Hijikata's serve three times in six opportunities and also went 8-of-13 on net points.
Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev also advanced to the quarterfinals by beating American Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4. Medvedev will next faceDraper.
Medvedev finished with a 9-1 edge in aces and saved 4 of 5 break points along the way. He was aggressive, hitting 34 winners and taking 9 of 10 net points.
"When I'm in confidence, I'm an aggressive player," Medvedev said. "… So when I'm hitting the ball the way I hit now, I can be aggressive and can put a lot of pressure on my opponents and still being able to be great in defense, and that's what makes it tough."
Michelsen, a 21-year-old California native, was vying for his second quarterfinal berth at an ATP 1000 event following the Canadian Open last year.
"It's a great tournament," Michelsen said. "I had to beat a lot of good guys to get to the fourth round, and I'm playing some good ball right now, and played a guy (Medvedev) who we just talked about, it's a tough matchup for me. That's tennis. Life moves on, and on to Miami in a couple days. Yeah, feeling good."
(With inputs from Reuters)