Wimbledon is off to a brilliant start for the British players, with Jack Draper at the forefront, enjoying the sunny conditions.
Draper was one of ten British players overall, including seven men, who advanced to the second round. He progressed after his opponent, Argentina`s Sebastian Baez, retired due to injury with Draper leading 6-2, 6-2, 2-1.
This success follows Monday`s remarkable performance, which saw seven British players win their first-round matches, marking the most successful single day for the home nation in the Open era at Wimbledon.
After his victory, Draper praised the recent strength shown by British tennis players, crediting the inspiring influence of three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray.
`I believe Andy has significantly impacted many younger players, thanks to his success over the years,` Draper commented.
`Achieving major success on the grandest stages. When we were growing up, we watched him win those significant titles on television.`
`The scene is very exciting for both men`s and women`s tennis. Many young players pursued the college path perhaps because they weren`t quite ready for the professional circuit. Now they are emerging and playing exceptionally well; it`s simply their development path, perhaps reaching the tour slightly later.`
Other notable British results from Tuesday include Dan Evans defeating fellow countryman Jay Clarke in straight sets, and Jack Pinnington Jones causing an upset by beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry in his main-draw debut, setting up a match against the 22nd seed, Flavio Cobolli.
British players will again be featured prominently on Wednesday, with Emma Raducanu set to play against the reigning Wimbledon champion from 2023, Marketa Vondrousova, and Oliver Tarvet facing the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
`British tennis is in a promising position,` Draper added. `Everyone possesses a strong work ethic.`
`Again, I believe Andy, along with Dan (Evans) and Cam (Norrie), has demonstrated the standard for this.`
`The dedication to work and the drive to improve are evident. I find it very exciting to consider what British tennis will achieve in the next decade, and it`s great to be involved.`
Following his win, Draper shared a memory about driving Pinnington Jones to tennis practice when they were younger, as Draper was the only one with a driving license then.
He humorously recounted arriving 45 minutes early on purpose to bypass traffic, which would often frustrate his friend, who wasn`t scheduled to start hitting for hours after Draper had finished.
Pinnington Jones was making his first appearance in the Wimbledon men`s singles main draw on Tuesday, having recently turned professional just a month prior, foregoing his final year at TCU college.
`To be honest, Jack is a very close friend,` said Draper. `We live quite near each other. I first met him in 2019 and spent considerable time relaxing at his place. We have a strong friendship.`
`Since he decided to go to university, I haven`t seen him for a while, so it`s great to have him around again.`
`He is exceptionally talented. I`m certain he will become a top 100 player. Given what we`ve seen from Jacob (Fearnley), I`m confident Jack is also heading in that direction because he is genuinely that good.`
`It`s truly exciting for British tennis due to the number of players emerging from the university system who possess the necessary skill level but require more competitive experience. They will be joining the professional tour, and Jack is among them. Winning his first ever five-set match today against a tough opponent is remarkable.`
`I am definitely very proud of him, and I wouldn`t be surprised if he has a good performance this week or finishes the year with a high ranking.`
Draper is scheduled to play against Croatia`s Marin Cilic in the second round later this week, aiming to reach the third round at Wimbledon for the first time in his career.
