Quotes of the Day: Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper talk friendship ahead of US Open semifinal

NEW YORK—Less than a month after sharing a doubles court, Jack Draper and Jannik Sinner will find themselves on opposite sides of the net as they will each compete for their first US Open final on Friday.

The two friends have been close since they began competing on the junior circuit. Following his straight-sets win over Alex de Minaur, Draper cited Sinner as a source of inspiration as he worked his way up to what has been a career-best result at a major tournament:

Q. Looking at the semifinals, one of your possible opponents could be Sinner. You guys played doubles together back in Canada. I was wondering if you have had the opportunity to keep in touch throughout the summer, if you've exchanged any messages throughout the tournament and has he been supportive of your tournament here?

JACK DRAPER:Yeah, I mean, we've always kept in touch since I've been on tour the last couple of years. Jannik is a good friend, someone I'm definitely close to.

You know, we send each other messages in good moments, bad moments. It's a tough sport to play when you're a young guy. You're kind of, you're on the road, you're playing such a relentlessly intense sport, both physically, emotionally, and it's difficult, we haven't got many friends.

So to sort of have the support of someone who's going through it themselves is really big. So, yeah, huge respect for Jannik and was amazing to play doubles with him in Montreal. I think we played great doubles together. I'd never won a doubles match on the tour, so to play obviously with the No. 1 player in the world was amazing and definitely learned a lot about playing doubles and had a lot of fun with him.

So it was really nice to be able to step out on court with him. Yeah, I'm sure we will continue to stay in touch.

While Draper, who partnered Sinner at the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montréal, has vivid memories of competing against Sinner as a junior, Sinner confessed he was hazier on the details after defeating Daniil Medvedev just before midnight on Wednesday:

Q. I know you might not remember, but Jack said he remembers playing you in doubles under-18 and he thought you were the weaker player. He wanted to hit it to you, not your partner. You might not remember that match, but what are your memories of him as a junior and being maybe not the strongest player as a junior?

JANNIK SINNER:In juniors, I was never good (smiling). I don't remember playing against him in doubles, but I do remember seeing him from outside. Obviously lefty, it's also tough to see, or there are less lefties than righties. You know, his ball striking was always very, very good.

It was nice to share the court with him in doubles in Montreal. You know, we got to know each other even more. You know, we text each other when we have good or bad times, you know, trying to keep us up. It's a great friendship. Obviously we try to put this away for the hours we are on court. I think that's quite obvious. But, you know, it's whenever we shake our hands, it's again friendship back and all is going to be good.

Yeah, I don't remember so many things when I was juniors. Also, because I didn't play so many, so, yeah.

With the US Open final in sight, the two will aim to play a match neither will forget on Arthur Ashe Stadium in less than 48 hours’ time.