Revealed: The secret to Jack Draper's remarkable physical improvement - with British No 1 winning three five-set thrillers at Australian Open
Share:
Jack Draper has put his remarkable physical improvement down to working with a breathing coach. The British No1 has won three five-set matches in a row at this Australian Open, spending more than 12 hours on court. His latest epic was a 1am win against Aussie Aleksandar Vukic to set a Sunday date with Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round.
![[The British No1, 22 (left), has won three five-set matches in a row at this Australian Open]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/08/94235679-0-image-a-1_1737187294955.jpg)
It is quite the turnaround for a man whose fitness, by his own admission, could not be relied upon in the early years of his career. Asked to explain the transformation, Draper, 22, replied: ‘There's always been that question mark in my head over five-set matches: am I able to do it? From a mental side of things and physical as well, is my body going to hold up?.
![[Draper's fitness had previously proved to be a problem during the early stages of his career]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/08/94235669-0-image-a-3_1737187323955.jpg)
‘I've been putting in a lot of work. Having that time off with my hip (a niggle over Christmas), I was able to focus on working on a few different things. ‘I was working a lot with a breathing coach and trying to understand that better. I've always had problems with my sinuses. So I think that's really helping.
![[During Draper's US Open semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner last year, a combination of stress, humidity and the stomach churning effect of painkillers caused him to vomit on the court]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/08/94235667-0-image-a-5_1737187370402.jpg)
Jack Draper has put his physical improvement down to working with a breathing coach. The British No1, 22 (left), has won three five-set matches in a row at this Australian Open. Draper's fitness had previously proved to be a problem during the early stages of his career.
![[The British No 1 revealed how there is both a physical and a mental side to his improvement]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/18/08/94235657-0-image-a-4_1737187368970.jpg)
‘I just think in general staying a lot calmer and just not being too uptight. I think that's helping me to go for longer.’. To briefly explain the science, nasal breathing gets air to the lungs quicker than through the mouth, meaning oxygen can in turn reach the muscles more efficiently and reduce the buildup of lactic acid. Also, nasal breathing can slow down and regulate the heart rate, calming us down; whereas panting breaths through the mouth when we are tired can increase stress. Finally, mouth breathing has been shown to make the body lose more water, leading to dehydration.
