Wimbledon 2024: Katie Boulter and Jack Draper lead British hopes at All England Club

Although Katie Boulter and Jack Draper are already known to the British public, a deep run at Wimbledon would take their status to another level.

Boulter, 27, and Draper, 22, will be the country’s leading singles players when the Grand Slam tournament starts at the All England Club on Monday.

Both players hold career-high world rankings and enter the height of the British grass season having recently won titles on the surface.

The common thread between Boulter and Draper doesn’t end there.

Both players will be seeded at Wimbledon for the first time, a reward for their good progress in recent months.

The leading 32 players receive a Grand Slam seeding, meaning they cannot face another seeding until the third round.

Boulter is ranked 32nd in the world and helped consolidate her position by retaining her WTA title in Nottingham earlier this month.

That was her second trophy of the season, after winning the biggest title of her career in San Diego in March.

“I feel like I’m playing really good tennis and I’ve changed a lot from last year,” said Boulter, who is aiming to get past the third round for the first time.

“I have improved a lot as a player and have become a lot more consistent.”

Draper is 29th in the men’s rankings, breaking new ground by climbing into the world’s top 30 for the first time.

Winning his first ATP title in Stuttgart, plus an eye-catching win over Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and reaching the Queen quarter-finals, has put him in that position.

“If you want to be a top player in the world, you have to back up the results week after week, day after day,” Draper said.

“That’s the next phase for me now.”

Physical problems have held every player back and now that they are largely fit and injury-free, they are enjoying the fruits of the hard work to build their bodies.

As a teenager, Boulter took a year off due to chronic fatigue syndrome. The condition also affected her recovery from a stress fracture of her back in 2019.

Last year she was able to play regularly for the first time since that debilitating injury, won her first WTA title in Nottingham and climbed back into the top 100.

That has been the catalyst for further success this year.

“For the most part, it went well physically. I always felt like I had the talent,” Boulter said.

“My perspective has also changed a lot. Once you’ve gone through the whole summer period, missed Wimbledon and gone through the pain of that, you don’t take it for granted anymore.”

Draper also had to be patient with his body.

Following a series of injuries and mid-match retirements, a shoulder problem ended his French Open campaign last year, leading Draper to complain that he was “the guy who gets injured a lot”.

It also ruled the Surrey left-hander out of the entire British grass season.

“My body was just glass at that moment,” Draper reflected.

“I think it was kind of a blessing in disguise because since I came back from those injuries I’ve really done a great job.”

When Boulter triumphed in Nottingham a fortnight ago, her grandfather Brian was among the loved ones celebrating with her on court.

Boulter has often cited the support of ‘Grandpa’ and his late wife Jill, who died two days before Boulter’s then-biggest career win at Wimbledon 2022, as crucial in her development.

During the pandemic, spurred by missing her grandparents, Boulter decided to volunteer for Age UK, for whom she remains an ambassador.

Draper has also collaborated with a charity close to his heart.

His grandmother Brenda has Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, and last year he worked with the Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness of the condition.

Although she can no longer watch his matches live, her husband Chris was courtside for Draper’s victory over Alcaraz.

“He’s been taking care of her for years,” Draper said.

“My grandma doesn’t understand the success I’m having, but I think it gives my grandpa a real reason to keep going.

“He says, ‘I want to be there to see you achieve as much as you can’. That’s a big motivation for me.”

Boulter and Draper not only thrive in the spotlight on the pitch, but also seem comfortable when no attention is paid to it.

Glamorous photo shoots with stylish fashion magazines – together for Tatler last year, while Draper recently appeared in Vogue – have proven their appeal to wider markets.

“I really enjoy being in front of the camera. When I look good, that is,” Draper joked to Vogue.

The star quality of each player is clear. But in addition to modeling elegant brands, they are eager to discuss the normality of their daily lives.

Boulter regularly talks about her relationship with Australian player Alex de Minaur, saying she is a “creature of habit”.

Draper calls himself a “big family man” who enjoys hanging out with his labradoodle Aussie.

Both are also football fans. Boulter often shows her strong allegiance to Leicester City, while Draper follows Manchester United.

England’s progress at Euro 2024 will be monitored by the pair throughout the fortnight of Wimbledon – although not closely if they go as far as they hope in SW19.