Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs makes bold claim about Jack Draper’s Wimbledon future after win over Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells

Jack Draper, Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams (Source: Getty)
Jack Draper, Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams (Source: Getty)

7Serena Williams's ex-coach Rennae Stubbs suggested that Jack Draper will win Wimbledon. Draper just completed a thrilling victory over World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal in Indian Wells on Sunday. Added to his fourth round win against World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, and quarterfinal dispatch of highly-fancied Ben Shelton, Draper has looked every inch a Major champion in the making.

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The win over Alcaraz was particularly satisfying for the Brit. The game had everything, including a pivotal video technology intervention that impacted the result. At 1-1 in the final set, umpire Mohamed Lahyani decided that Draper had failed to reach an Alcaraz drop shot, but VAR confirmed he had. Draper was awarded the point and went on to close out the match 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 and is set to break into the top ten.

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Following the match, Rennae Stubbs, who once coached 23-time Major winner Serena Williams, immediately lauded the Englishman and predict his future with a post on her X (formerly Twitter) handle:

"Jack Draper is going to win Wimbledon!"
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As a player, Stubbs was once ranked number one in the women's doubles rankings, and in the 2000s she captured four Grand Slam doubles titles.

After retiring, she first worked at the Channel Seven Network as a tennis analyst before moving to ESPN. She's also the founder and host of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.


Jack Draper's Wimbledon performances will need to improve to justify Rennae Stubbs faith

BNP Paribas Open - Day 11 - Source: Getty
BNP Paribas Open - Day 11 - Source: Getty

Jack Draper's previous Wimbledon performances have not suggested a title win just yet. He made his Wimbledon debut in 2021, but was defeated by Novak Djokovic in round one. In 2022, he was knocked out in the second round, losing 3-6, 2-6, 5-7 to Alex de Minaur.

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Due to a persistent shoulder injury, Draper was unable to compete in the 2023 grass court season. In 2024 he again advanced to the second round after defeating Swedish qualifier Elias Wymer in five sets. He was dispatched by fellow Brit Cameron Norrie in straight sets.

After defeating Alcaraz, Draper told the post-match press conference, as reported by BBC.com, that he was excited to have entered the world's top 10:

“It feels unbelievable. When the MC said it on the court, I felt emotional. I have been through so much in the last few years with injuries and setbacks. It’s such a tough sport, you give so much to it and it feels incredible. But obviously I’ve got another match tomorrow to go.”

Draper's performances in 2025 will be the chief reason for Rennae Stubbs' confidence. He made it to the fourth round in Melbourne, and suffered a narrow loss to Andrey Rublev in the final in Qatar. Now, after his Indian Wells exploits, Draper is showing that if he's injury free he has the tools to win a Major.

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Edited by Neelabhra Roy
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