Draper to join Nadal as the second left-handed player in the top 5 ATP rankings this century.
Fresh Write-up:
Hey there!
Tennis enthusiasts, buckle up! Jack Draper, that wicked left-hander, is about to create history in the ATP rankings. Following his fantastic semi-final performance at the Madrid Masters 1000, Draper is set to debut in the top 5 next week. This young man will join the prestigious league, following the footsteps of 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who achieved this feat way back in 2005.
Through the annals of ATP history, only a select few left-handers have managed to crack the top 5 — Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Thomas Muster, Marcelo Rios, Nadal, Manuel Orantes, Guillermo Vilas, Goran Ivanisevic, Petr Korda, Rod Laver, Andres Gomez, Guy Forget, Greg Rusedski, Roscoe Tanner, and Henri Leconte.
Now, the Madrid Masters 1000 tournament, with its whopping €7,85 million prize money, is coming to a close on May 4. This tournament is considered the second most prestigious level of ATP competition, just shy of the Grand Slams and the ATP Finals.
On May 2, Draper will go head-to-head with Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals. So, let's chat about this exciting news in the "RBC Sport" Telegram channel!
Now, you might be wondering about other notable left-handed players who've climbed the ranks. Well, I've got the lowdown on them:
- Jimmy Connors — one of the most successful left-handed players, Connors ruled the rankings for 268 weeks (among the most in history).
- Rafael Nadal — the only left-handed player this century to reach No. 1, but Draper is snapping at his heels!
- Marcelo Rios — Made it to No. 1 but in the top 5 lately, although he was 7th back in 2000.
- Jack Draper — Recently soared to the No. 6 spot, after Nadal, and he's aiming even higher now.
Other left-handers who've broken into the top 10 include Goran Ivanišević, Fernando Verdasco, Jurgen Melzer, and Cameron Norrie. As for breaking into the top 5 specifically, well, that's a more exclusive club! But that's what makes Draper's achievement even more jaw-dropping!
- Jack Draper, following his impressive semi-final performance at the Italian Masters 1000, will debut in the top 5 of the ATP rankings, joining an elite group of left-handers who have achieved this feat, such as Rafael Nadal, who debuted in 2005.
- Draper's upcoming semi-final match against Italian Lorenzo Musetti at the Madrid Masters 1000 tournament, with its €7,85 million prize money, adds to the excitement as he aims to claim a spot among the ATP's top 5 players.
- In the ATP's rich history, only a select few left-handers have managed to crack the top 5, including the likes of John McEnroe, Thomas Muster, and Jimmy Connors who ruled the rankings for extensive periods.
- As Jack Draper gets ready to debut in the top 5, he joins the ranks of other formidable left-handed players, like Rafael Nadal, who have left an indelible mark on the sport of tennis.
