Mark Draper Focuses on Developing Australian Tennis Talent

24 September 2026

Mark Draper, a prominent figure in Australian tennis coaching, has spent over 20 years assisting professional players, including Sam Stosur and John Millman, and currently works with Rinky Hijikata and Adam Walton. In a recent episode of The Sit-Down podcast, Draper discussed his dedication to nurturing local talent.

“I really love tennis and I love coaching. I love to try and give back to the people who are trying to get the best out of themselves,” he remarked. Draper sees coaching as an opportunity to share his experience with emerging athletes.

Under Draper’s guidance, Hijikata achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 62 and reached the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, also winning the men’s doubles title at the 2023 Australian Open with Jason Kubler. Walton had a breakthrough year in 2025, reaching No. 74 in the world and defeating top-10 player Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros earlier this year. Draper noted, “Both boys are really good at turning up and giving the best of themselves on a daily basis, which is a hard thing to do.” He emphasized the importance of focusing on the small margins that can significantly impact rankings.

Interestingly, Draper’s coaching career was born out of necessity. He initially balanced coaching with his playing career to fund his participation in tournaments. “I was kind of doing it all, some high-performance stuff and then playing tournaments as well,” he explained. Although he considered ending his playing career, he began to achieve success at around 22 or 23, allowing him to pursue tennis more seriously.

Draper qualified for the main draws at the 1998 Australian Open and Wimbledon, achieving a first-round victory at Wimbledon against the No. 4 seed Greg Rusedski. Recalling that match, he stated, “It was nerve-wracking for sure. I was extremely nervous leading into that match, but once a few balls were hit in the warm-up, I felt pretty comfortable.”

His early coaching experience helped him develop a diverse coaching style. Draper credits Australian tennis icon Mal Anderson for inspiring him during his youth at Anderson’s tennis center in Queensland. “I always really valued his humility and personal qualities. He was very generous as well,” Draper said, mentioning how Anderson encouraged him to take ownership of his game.

What began as a necessity evolved into a fulfilling career path. Draper expressed gratitude for his role with Tennis Australia, stating, “I know how difficult it is to try and make it when you’re trying to do it by yourself, so given the opportunity to work here, I’m so appreciative and grateful every single day.”

Listeners can catch the full episode of The Sit-Down, a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with notable figures in tennis, released every Monday.