John McEnroe has weighed in on Jack Draper’s performance at the 2025 French Open, saying the young Brit needs to “handle those emotions” if he wants a shot at winning major titles.
Draper, who recently overtook Novak Djokovic in the ATP rankings to sit at world number five, suffered a tough four-set loss to Alexander Bublik in the round of 16 on Monday.
McEnroe, a former world number one and now a TNT Sports commentator, said he was surprised at how anxious Draper appeared on court. “It looked like the nerves got to Jack,” McEnroe said. “He was stressing. He’s been working on that. To me, that is going to be a factor in whether he wins multiple majors or not, to be able to handle those emotions.”
Draper had been playing strong tennis heading into Roland Garros, especially after a standout win over Matteo Arnaldi in the Madrid Open quarter-finals. That victory helped him jump past 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the rankings. But against Bublik, the pressure seemed to catch up with him. Draper lost the match 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The 22-year-old has previously opened up about dealing with anxiety and how it’s affected his game. Monday’s performance brought that battle back into focus. “He was playing well, to me,” McEnroe continued. “And I was surprised that he was that stressed out. But that’s the game. It’s as much mental as it is physical.”
Bublik, never one to hold back in interviews, was emotional after the match. “You know, sometimes in life, there is only one chance. I had a feeling that was mine,” he said. “I couldn’t let it slip, so standing here, it’s the best moment of my life. Period.”
He added, with a grin, “I’m standing here like I won the thing, but at the end, what can I say. It’s amazing. I can’t cry here, come on let me be in peace. I still have a match to go, I’m a professional tennis player, I have to get ready.”
For Draper, this loss is another learning curve in a still-promising career. At just 22, he’s already made huge strides and climbed the rankings fast. But if he wants to go all the way and win Grand Slams, handling high-pressure moments will be key. As McEnroe said, “Composure is what separates good players from great ones.”
The message is clear: Jack Draper has the talent, but whether he can manage the mental side of the sport remains the big question.
