Andy Murray tipping Jack Draper to reach 'top of the world rankings' after becoming British No. 1

Jack Draper secured his maiden ATP Tour title at the weekend with a hard-fought three-set victory over the experienced Matteo Berrettini in Stuttgart. Draper has now dethroned Cameron Norrie as the British No.1, but Andy Murray is backing the 22-year-old to reach much bigger heights as his fledgling career progresses. Draper said it was "amazing" to hear Murray's comments.

Highlights: Draper beats Berrettini for Stuttgart Open title glory

Video credit: SNTV

Andy Murray is tipping Jack Draper to reach the “top of the world rankings” after the young Brit won his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart on Sunday.

Draper has replaced Cameron Norrie as the new British No. 1 after overcoming Matteo Berrettini in the final in three sets.

Murray believes the 22-year-old is only just starting to realise his potential.

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"Jack, I think, has bigger goals to aspire to than being British No. 1," Murray told the media ahead of playing Queen's this week.

"In my opinion, he can get right up to the top of the game, right to the top of the world rankings."

The three-time Grand Slam winner feels that Draper’s game will come to the fore as the grass-court season gets into full swing, and explained that only fine margins have prevented him from already breaking into the top 20.

"He genuinely loves the sport" added Murray. "He is really into it, he works really hard and I think grass is a brilliant surface for him. I think he'll do really well over the years on the surface.

"It’s amazing for him to win his first tournament and obviously I'm delighted for him. This year has been tricky for him and it could have looked a whole lot different as well, a lot more positive than it has been, because he's lost a number of extremely close matches.

"You change a couple of those results and all of a sudden he's up easily in the top 20 in the world.

"In my eyes, he's definitely playing good enough to be right up there."

Draper responded to Murray's comments when speaking to the media ahead of this week's Queen's Club Championships.

"It's amazing to hear that from someone like Andy," he said. "Being the No. 1 Brit is a huge honour and a huge privilege, I know, but I hadn't thought about that at all.

"My goal is to be one of the top players in the world."

The look of sheer joy was evident on Draper's face after powering his way past former Italian No. 1 Berrettini on Sunday.

It would have been made sweeter after consigning his recent near misses in Adelaide earlier this year, and in Sofia last year, to the past.

"It was a really tough match, but really happy to win my first title. It means so much to me," said Draper after the match.

"There were a lot of tough moments the last year or so, and it's been up and down, but I'm really, really glad with the way I played. I think it's a testament to the work I've been doing."

Draper will look to continue his upward trajectory when he faces Argentine Mariano Navone in the first round of the Queen's on Tuesday.

He is now ranked at No. 31 in the ATP rankings.

"It’s always something that any British player wants to achieve," he said about becoming British No. 1.

"I’ve always had Cam, Dan [Evans], Andy, ahead of me and they have been such amazing role models and have been at the top of the game so it’s been hard to catch them up.

"I want to keep on climbing higher and my goal is to be a top, top player in the world and if that’s British No. 1 then great. And if someone is ahead of me then they are obviously doing an amazing job too."

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