Jack Draper is not afraid to admit his fears. Nor does he mind facing them. 

Not known for physical prowess early in his career, Draper was often on the short end of the stick when it came to stamina. He’d wilt in the heat. He’d get sick. He’d cramp. And it would cost him matches. 

But the 23-year-old World No. 14 never shied away from seeking solutions that could help him increase his tolerance for pain and suffering. It’s a critical part of being an elite pro, and it is not something that most pros are not born with.

This year, seeking redemption, the British No. 1 went through the gauntlet in Australia, and became the seventh man in history to win his first three rounds at the Australian Open in five sets. It put Draper in the second week for the first time in Melbourne, and even though he went no further, the accomplishment has only added to his self-belief. 

“I've put my body and mind through a lot since I've come on to the tour,” he said on Saturday after toppling Brazil’s Joao Fonseca in second-round action, 6-0, 6-4. “One thing for me that always scared me was the thought of playing long matches and the thought of pushing my body through long matches, deep into tournaments and all that sort of stuff. 

“Naturally, I'm human. I don't like to feel uncomfortable.”

Draper knew deep down that he’d have to find a way to hammer through that barrier, and that is why he is feeling that much more confident in his physical powers as he makes his third career appearance in the California desert. 

“I know if I wanted to be a top player, I had to get used to feeling uncomfortable and going through pain and feeling like I'd have to come through a lot of adversity in matches,” Draper said. “Still, there was a little bit of a question mark… I'd see other players go four hours, five hours, and not cramp and come through the matches. The longest matches I had played were [around] two-and-a-half hours.

“By going out to Australia and playing those matches, four hours, that was so good for me mentally, emotionally, physically. It just gave me the confidence now and moving forward that I can do that. I'm strong.” 

Much like Novak Djokovic, who struggled with a plethora of physical maladies during his early years on tour and later became a bulletproof phenom that would intimidate many of his opponents in the locker room before they even stepped on the court, Draper wants to start building a reputation for being impossible to put away. 

“I think [I am] hopefully starting to build a reputation as someone who's not going to get injured and not unfit and not going to fade away. I want to be someone who's really strong, and to be competitive and to have no weakness in my game. That was an area I felt other players would look at me and think, ‘Oh, he can get tired.’

“I just want to keep on improving that area and keep on going.”