Scott Draper
Scott Dennis Draper (born 5 June 1974) is an Australian former professional tennis player and golfer, renowned for his versatility across sports and his resilience in overcoming personal adversity.[1] Draper's tennis career began as a junior, where he captured the 1992 Wimbledon boys' doubles title alongside Steven Baldas and reached No. 5 in the world junior doubles rankings.[2] Turning professional in 1993, he achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 42 on 10 May 1999, compiling a 107-129 overall record and securing one ATP singles title.[2] His notable Grand Slam results included reaching the round of 16 at the French Open in 1995 and 1996, as well as the US Open in 1997.[1] In doubles, he peaked at No. 132 in December 1996 and represented Australia in three Davis Cup singles matches in 2002, recording a 1-2 win-loss tally.[1] His most celebrated achievement came in 2005, when he partnered with Samantha Stosur to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title, marking his final major highlight before retiring from tennis later that year.[1] Draper's career was profoundly shaped by personal tragedy; his first wife, Kellie, died from cystic fibrosis on 19 July 1999, leading him to help establish the Kellie Draper Foundation through the Cystic Fibrosis Association in her memory.[2] A knee injury in 2004 further challenged his tennis pursuits, prompting a pivot to golf, where he held a plus-1 handicap and competed in events like the 2003 Queensland PGA Championship, shooting rounds of 73 and 72.[2] He briefly pursued professional golf, playing six Korn Ferry Tour events without recording a cut made or earnings.[3] Remarried to Jessica, with whom he has three children—Jayden (born 2007), Jamee, and Jett—Draper returned to tennis in a coaching capacity in 2009, serving as Head Coach of Tennis Australia's National Academies from 2010.[1][2] As of 2025, he is the co-founder and director of North, a performance consulting firm, where he applies his elite athletic background to mentor leaders and teams in sport and business.[4]Early life
Family and upbringing
Scott Dennis Draper was born on 5 June 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[2] He grew up in a sporty family environment that emphasized athletic pursuits from an early age.[5] Draper's parents, father Dennis and mother Bronwyn, introduced him to tennis alongside his siblings, fostering a household centered on physical activity.[2] He has an older brother, Mark Draper, who also pursued professional tennis and achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 152 in September 1998, as well as a sister, Sharon, who was a top-ranked Australian junior player.[2][1] His first cousin, Petria Thomas, is a multiple Olympic medal-winning swimmer.[5] The family's shared involvement in the sport created a competitive yet supportive dynamic, with Draper beginning to play tennis at the age of four under their guidance.[2] This Brisbane-based upbringing, surrounded by siblings actively engaged in tennis, played a pivotal role in cultivating Draper's early passion for sports and his initial development as an athlete.[2] The familial encouragement provided a foundation that influenced his lifelong dedication to competitive endeavors.[5]Education and early sports
Scott Draper attended Brisbane State High School in Brisbane, Australia, graduating in 1991. The institution, known for its emphasis on academic and extracurricular activities, provided a supportive environment for his early athletic development, including participation in school sports programs.[6] Draper began playing tennis at the age of four, introduced to the sport through family involvement in Brisbane's local tennis scene. His early training focused on foundational skills, progressing from casual family play to structured practice that prepared him for competitive junior levels.[2] During his high school years, Draper represented the school in tennis, competing in school tennis events such as the Queensland School Sport tennis championships, where he honed his skills alongside other promising young athletes.[7] This school-level participation marked an important step in his youth involvement in the sport, building on the encouragement from his family background.[2]Tennis career
Junior career
Scott Draper began his competitive junior tennis career in Australia, where he developed his skills through local tournaments and school programs before gaining international recognition.[8] His most notable achievement came in doubles, where he partnered with compatriot Steven Baldas to win the 1992 Wimbledon Boys' Doubles title, defeating India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Nitin Kirtane 6–1, 4–6, 9–7 in the final.[2][9] This victory propelled Draper to a career-high No. 5 ranking in the ITF world junior doubles standings later that year.[2] In singles, Draper competed in several international junior events, including the 1992 Wimbledon Boys' Singles, where he advanced past early rounds before exiting.[10] Although specific details on his overall ranking progression are limited, his doubles success highlighted his potential as he transitioned toward professional tennis in 1993.[2]ATP Tour career
Scott Draper turned professional in 1993, marking the start of his ATP Tour career.[11] Over the course of his tenure on the tour, he compiled an overall singles record of 107–129.[12] He reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 132 in February 1996.[13] Draper's playstyle, characterized by a strong left-handed serve and aggressive baseline game honed from his junior days, allowed him to compete effectively on faster surfaces like grass and hard courts.[1] Draper's career peaked with a singles ranking of No. 42 on May 10, 1999, a position he achieved through consistent performances in mid-tier ATP events and challengers.[12] His Grand Slam appearances showcased his potential on clay and hard courts, where he advanced to the fourth round at the French Open in both 1995—defeating Richey Reneberg before falling to Renzo Furlan—and 1996, upsetting Gilbert Schaller en route to a loss against Pete Sampras.[14] At the US Open in 1997, he reached the fourth round as well, overcoming Jiri Novak and Jeff Tarango in straight sets before Jonas Bjorkman prevailed.[15] His best result at the Australian Open came in 1997, when he progressed to the third round, defeating Jan-Michael Gambill prior to a defeat by Albert Costa.[16] These deep runs highlighted his ability to perform under major tournament pressure, though injuries and inconsistencies prevented sustained top-50 status. He also represented Australia in the Davis Cup, playing three singles matches in 2002 with a 1-2 record.[1] Beyond Grand Slams, Draper's ATP career featured several notable upsets and resilient performances against higher-ranked opponents. In the first round of the 2003 Cincinnati Masters, as a qualifier ranked No. 114, he pushed world No. 7 Roger Federer to the brink, holding seven match points in the deciding tiebreak before Federer escaped 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(10).[17] Earlier, at the 1998 Wimbledon, he defeated No. 25 Rainer Schuttler in the opening round, and in 1997 US Open qualifying, he overcame strong competition to enter the main draw.[18] While no major rivalries dominated his resume, these matches underscored his fighting spirit and occasional breakthroughs against elite players. Throughout his career, Draper earned $1,594,598 in prize money from singles and doubles combined, providing financial stability amid his transition toward golf later in life.[12]Titles and finals
Scott Draper reached three ATP singles finals during his career, winning one title and finishing as runner-up twice. His first ATP final came at the 1997 Australian Men's Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide, where he was defeated by countryman Todd Woodbridge 6–2, 6–1 in the final.[19] In July 1998, Draper advanced to the final of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C., but lost decisively to Andre Agassi 6–2, 6–0.[20] Later that month, at the Stella Artois Championships (Queen's Club) in London, Draper claimed his sole ATP singles title, overcoming qualifier Laurence Tieleman 7–6(7–5), 6–4 in the final; ranked No. 108 at the time, he became the lowest-ranked champion in the tournament's history.[19] Draper reached one ATP doubles final, partnering Ashley Fisher at the 2003 Japan Open in Tokyo, where they fell to Michael Hill and Rogier Wassen 6–7(5), 6–3, 6–4. In mixed doubles, Draper and Samantha Stosur won the 2005 Australian Open title as unseeded wild cards, beating fourth seeds Kevin Ullyett and Liezel Huber 6–2, 2–6, 10–6 in the final; the victory came shortly after Draper's professional golf debut, marking the first Australian mixed doubles Grand Slam title since 1996.[21] As a junior, Draper secured one Grand Slam doubles title at the 1992 Wimbledon Championships, teaming with Steven Baldas to defeat Mahesh Bhupathi and Nitin Kirtane 6–1, 4–6, 9–7 in the boys' doubles final.[2]Performance timelines
The performance timelines below summarize Scott Draper's results in Grand Slam tournaments for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, along with year-end ATP rankings for singles and doubles. Win-loss records refer to ATP Tour level matches unless otherwise noted. Standard abbreviations are used: A = absent, Q# = reached the # qualifier round, LQ = lost in qualifying, 1R/2R/3R/4R = reached the round of 128/64/32/16, QF = quarterfinals, SF = semifinals, F = runner-up, W = winner.[12][22]Singles
Grand Slam tournament timeline
| Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | 0 / 0 | 5–10 | 33% |
| French Open | A | A | 4R | 4R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 0 / 0 | 8–9 | 47% |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 1R | 0 / 0 | 4–10 | 29% |
| US Open | A | A | 3R | 2R | 4R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | 0 / 0 | 3–5 | 38% |
| Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 5–4 | 4–4 | 5–3 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0 / 0 | 20–34 | 37% |
Year-end ranking and ATP Tour win-loss
Specific year-by-year ATP singles win-loss records are as follows where documented: 2001 (5–6), 2002 (5–8), 2003 (13–16), 2005 (0–4).[23][24]| Year | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking (high / year-end) | 819 / 888 | 333 / 888 | 81 / 87 | 69 / 95 | 56 / 58 | 45 / 51 | 42 / 150 | 194 / 258 | 215 / 221 | 130 / 137 | 97 / 103 | 103 / 103 | 698 / 718 |
Doubles
Grand Slam tournament timeline
Draper had limited participation in Grand Slam doubles events, with his best result a quarterfinal at the 1996 Australian Open (with Jason Stoltenberg). Other notable results include second rounds at Wimbledon in 1995 and 2003, and first rounds at the US Open in 1995 and 1996. Career Grand Slam doubles win-loss: 5–7.| Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 2–1 | 67% |
| French Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | A | 0 / 0 | 2–2 | 50% |
| US Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 1–4 | 20% |
| Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0 / 0 | 5–7 | 42% |
Year-end ranking
Draper's career-high doubles ranking was No. 132 (February 1996). Year-end doubles rankings: 1995 (150), 1996 (190), 1997 (272), 1998 (279), 1999 (358), 2000 (283), 2001 (370), 2002 (459), 2003 (243). No documented ATP doubles win-loss by year; career doubles titles: 0.[1][13]Mixed doubles
Grand Slam tournament timeline
Draper's only Grand Slam mixed doubles appearance was in 2005, where he won the Australian Open title with Samantha Stosur (defeating [Liezel Huber](/page/Liezel Huber) and Kevin Ullyett 6–2, 2–6, [10–6] in the final). Career Grand Slam mixed doubles win-loss: 5–0.[25][26]| Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | 1 / 0 | 5–0 | 100% |
| French Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| US Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 1 / 0 | 5–0 | 100% |