- Draper stormed into round two at Wimbledon, beating Argentine Sebastian Baez
- He has now opened up on a technique he has copied from cyclists in SW19
- The star also revealed he will change his hairstyle throughout his tennis career
Jack Draper and his coach James Trotman are big believers in the little details, known in the cycling world as marginal gains, and so it should come as no surprise that the British No 1 is copying Tour de France riders in shaving his legs.
Although in his case, the reasons are more down to pain prevention than aerodynamism.
‘A lot of a lot of athletes do it, it’s because of the band work we do,’ explained Draper, referring to the exercises in which a player will do sidesteps with a resistance band strapped around both legs. ‘I’m fed up of getting in-grows and getting slapped with a band – it hurts a lot.
‘When I’m putting the bands around my leg it pulls on your hair and it rips off. And the massages as well. In-growing hairs. It’s not ideal, but if I am going to be in less pain then it’s worth it.’
That this matter came up for discussion will be a lesson to Draper, if any were needed, that for two weeks a year for the foreseeable future he will be national property. He is only a round into Wimbledon and already we are scrutinising his legs.
His hairstyle was under the microscope, too, and for a man whose watchwords are consistency and routine, Draper is embracing one of his few areas of creativity.
Jack Draper has revealed the ritual he has copied from cyclists in a bid to help his bid for success at Wimbledon
The Brit also explained how he will change his hairstyle throughout his tennis career
He stormed into round two with a dominant victory over Sebastian Baez on Tuesday afternoon
‘I’m not going to get it cut,’ he said of the trim which caused a social media hubbub before the French Open, being compared to the styles in TV show Peaky Blinders. ‘I’m probably going to get rid of the highlights at some point.
‘But one thing you will see with me over the years is a lot of different hairstyles, a lot of different a lot of different things. Because I’m very experimental with that sort of stuff. I get bored – there will be a lot of different things. My brother doesn’t like it but there will be a lot.’
Will all this scrutiny of his every move, it is little surprise Draper has decided to switch off from social media. He still posts occasionally, mainly on Instagram, but generally steers well clear.
‘I don’t do the socials,’ he said. ‘I don’t go on it. I think it’s really draining, especially as a professional athlete. I made decision a couple months ago that I was going to get away from it all, and focus on the important things in my life. Which is my tennis, my relationships with people, the important things.’
