Could Jack Draper be part of tennis' new 'Big 3'?

While the win could be a turning point, Draper has been overlooked as a future star for good reason. The Briton has been far too inconsistent, unlike some of his peers in the same age class. In 2024, he reached the semifinal at the U.S. Open, but not before suffering second-round exits at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Paris Olympics, not to mention first-round losses at the French Open, Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo. 

The 23-year-old was expected to make a leap when he made a deep run at Flushing Meadows last summer. Instead, he failed to qualify for the ATP Finals due to a slew of poor performances in the Euro hard-court swing. He began 2025 with a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open but needed five sets to put away his initial three opponents, barely inspiring confidence as a future slam winner or superstar. 

Future slam winner?

As is the case with many youngsters, some take longer to hit their stride on the biggest stage. Former British World No. 1 Tim Henman is convinced that Draper's Indian Wells win will catapult him to new heights.

"This is a day he will remember forever," Henman told Sky Sports, via Tennis365. "Enjoy this moment, soak it up. He's had a lot of humps in the road on his journey. The vast majority of people lose every week. This is the first of many Masters 1000 titles and he can be in the finals of Grand Slams and he can win Grand Slams. Onwards and upwards for Jack."

The one thing working in Draper's favor is that he's a throwback. In the age of baseliners relying on groundstrokes, he's a serve-and-volley player with long strides, making him a tough player to game plan for. On the flip side, he's also at a disadvantage when pushed to longer rallies due to his 6-foot-5 frame and inability to cover the entire court. 

Only time will tell if Draper can fulfill Henman's guarantee. No Briton has won a major title since Andy Murray captured the 2016 Wimbledon. 

Men's tennis benefited enormously from the previous "Big 3" of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both from a competitive and business standpoint. Many analysts feel the sport needs another dominant trio for the rest of the pack to chase. Who will join Alcaraz and Sinner? We could get our answer within the next few years.