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Jack Draper set to break into Top 5 on ATP rankings, joining Rafael Nadal on exclusive list

The Brit will be just the second left-handed player to be ranked in the ATP Top 5 this century, after the Spaniard.

By John Berkok
MATCH POINT: Jack Draper secures semifinals over Matteo Arnaldi in Madrid0:46

Jack Draper stormed past Matteo Arnaldi in the quarterfinals of Madrid on Thursday, 6-0, 6-4, to reach the first clay-court semifinal of his career—and at a Masters 1000 clay-court event, no less.

But that’s not all he achieved with the win.

The 23-year-old also secured his Top 5 debut on the ATP rankings—he’ll rise from No. 6 to No. 5 when the new rankings come out on Monday, after Madrid, no matter how he does the rest of the week.

And with that, he’ll become just the second left-handed player to be ranked in the ATP Top 5 this century, after Rafael Nadal, who spent 209 career weeks at No. 1 during his illustrious career.

The last time a left-handed player other than Nadal or Draper was in the ATP Top 5 was during the 1999 Australian Open—the weeks of January 18th and 25th, 1999—when Marcelo Rios was No. 2.

LEFT-HANDED PLAYERS IN THE ATP TOP 10 THIS CENTURY:

  • Marcelo Rios [ranked as high as No. 7 in 2000]
  • Mariano Puerta [career-high No. 9 in 2005]
  • Rafael Nadal [career-high No. 1 in 2008]
  • Fernando Verdasco [career-high No. 7 in 2009]
  • Jurgen Melzer [career-high No. 8 in 2011]
  • Denis Shapovalov [career-high No. 10 in 2020]
  • Cameron Norrie [career-high No. 8 in 2022]
  • Jack Draper [career-high No. 5 in 2025]
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 30: Jack Draper of Great Britain celebrates victory in his Men's Singles Round of 16 match against Tommy Paul of USA during the Mutua Madrid Open 2025 tournament celebrated at La Caja Magica on April 30, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
© 2025 Eurasia Sport Images

Draper will also become the 16th left-handed player to reach the Top 5 in ATP rankings history, which dates back to 1973.

LEFT-HANDED PLAYERS TO REACH TOP 5 IN ATP RANKINGS HISTORY:

  • No. 1s (5): Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Thomas Muster, Marcelo Rios, Rafael Nadal
  • No. 2s (4): Manuel Orantes, Guillermo Vilas, Goran Ivanisevic, Petr Korda
  • No. 3s (1): Rod Laver
  • No. 4s (3): Andres Gomez, Guy Forget, Greg Rusedski
  • No. 5s (3): Roscoe Tanner, Henri Leconte, Jack Draper

Draper is now through to the second Masters 1000 semifinal of his career, following his run to the title at Indian Wells in March.

Awaiting the No. 5-seeded Brit in that semifinal will be the winner of Thursday's night-time quarterfinal match between No. 10 seed Lorenzo Musetti and Canadian lucky loser Gabriel Diallo.