"Dress big, win big?" Jack Draper's oversized kit, retro Nike sneakers divide the internet

NEW YORK—Is another British champion about to be crowned in Queens? Following in the footsteps of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu, Jack Draper has thrived in the New York City spotlight to make his first major breakthrough at the US Open. And he's doing it in style.

The No. 25 seed has yet to lose a set and, on Wednesday, toppled the ailing No. 10 seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. But while comparisons to former world No. 1 Murray have understandably followed Draper through his rise, the 22-year-old has decidedly channeled a different US Open champion this fortnight.

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After his quarterfinal victory, Draper paid homage to Andre Agassi, swapping out his Nike Court Air Zoom Vapor Pro 2 shoes for a “remastered” pair of the 1994 and 1999 winner’s signature Air Tech Challenge 2 ‘Hot Lava’. Originally released in 1990 and made famous by Agassi, the iconic sneaker got its latest retro update this year.

“I don’t know how Agassi could move on the court with these ones!” Draper joked on court. He later praised the American's “iconic style” on Instagram as he shared photos of a post-match meet-up with the Hall of Famer.

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His footwear has earned the approval of sneaker heads after his off-court style already received the ultimate thumbs up from the high fashion world. Draper, who once told British Vogue that he “quite enjoys being in front of the camera” has seen the magazine’s former editor Anna Wintour become a frequent courtside presence during his US Open matches.

But it’s his match shirt that’s gotten even more attention online—an oversized Dri-Fit Slam Wildcard Crew in hot fuchsia from Nike’s NYC Collection.

Part of Draper’s pre-serve routine even involves tugging at his sleeve to fix it comfortably on his shoulder, both a nostalgic '90s throwback and the sartorial opposite of the short shorts trend that's been taking over the men’s tour.

While the fit left fashion fans divided, it seemed to confirm the old saying that when you look good, you feel good—and Draper has been feeling great as he's unveiled the best tennis of his life in New York.

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"I feel very different to last year," Draper reflected after his win over De Minaur. "I barely played any tennis in the year, struggling with injuries all the time, and then obviously came here...I was still very nervous and unsure before matches. You know, whether I would get through this one. Am I going to cramp in this one? Am I going to break down physically in this one, get injured or something like this?

"Now, I'm not waking up every day worried about playing five sets. I have so much more confidence in my mind and my body through experiences of playing on the tour now this year consistently... I'm learning and understanding myself better all the time.”

No. 25 seed Draper will face No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner on Friday in the semifinals, as he attempts to become the first British player since Murray in 2012 to reach the US Open final.

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