Tennis: Jack Draper turns to British great Andy Murray for grass-court coaching

Need a hand mastering the ins-and-outs of grass-court tennis? Just give two-time Wimbledon singles champion Andy Murray – who also won men’s singles gold on those same fabled lawns at the Olympic Games London 2012 – a call.

Facing a rankings freefall as the result of compounding injuries and early tournament exits, that’s exactly what British No. 2 Jack Draper did ahead of the 2026 grass-court swing in June.

The 24-year-old revealed a sudden shuffle to his coaching team on Tuesday (12 May), announcing that he’d parted ways with Jamie Delgado – Murray’s former coach – in favour of the three-time Grand Slam singles champion himself.

"I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months,” Draper said in a statement. “He is a world-class coach and a great man.

"In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grass-court season."

Murray, 38, joins Draper’s coaching staff with plenty of on-court experience to boot, along with limited behind-the-scenes coaching experience gained from a six-month stint with Serbian legend Novak Djokovic – an appointment that came to an end almost a year ago.

Introductions between the two shouldn’t take too long, with the pair having played on the same side of the net as part of Great Britain’s Davis Cup team in the past. Murray is expected to play the role of learned mentor, with Draper hoping to be a sponge-like acolyte.

The move itself is largely seen as a proactive effort to stop Draper, currently world No. 50, from falling even further down the rankings – an effort that will be unassisted by his recent decision to bow out of the 2024 French Open due to knee tendon issues.

While it remains uncertain when the talented lefty will return to action, all signs point to a grass-court season push, beginning with one of two ATP 250 tournaments in early June.

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