Jack Draper, the UK’s number one ranked men’s singles tennis player, bought three pairs of Axel Arigato sneakers as soon as his first pro-paycheck cleared. Not a wild splurge as one might expect, but three pairs of the same brand he'd been wearing for years. Draper, now 24, is one of the sport's most exciting figures on the global stage (or rather, court). As Roland Garros fast approaches, he is set to serve his first sneaker collaboration with the brand he loves, with three drops set to arrive in tandem with Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Recently kept off the court due to injury, Draper spent the time diving into design and photography, where most of us would've just watched telly. These pursuits made the design relationship with Axel’s creative director Jens Werner that much richer. Werner, for his part, says the collaboration pushed the brand's color and material stories somewhere new: “His genuine love for our sneakers, and the fresh perspective he brings to them... his vision is reflective of what a new era of modern athlete can be.”
This isn't a brand pulling a rising star into their orbit so much as a player who was already a convert long before anyone offered him a deal. “I've loved Axel Arigato footwear since I was 17,” says Draper. “So to have the opportunity to collaborate with a brand I love, has been incredible.”
We sat down with Draper to find out where it all started and where it's going next.
You’ve been wearing Axel Arigato since you were 17. What did those sneakers represent to you back then, and what do they represent now?
When I was 17, I first was drawn to the Axels because they were just so clean. They were a mix between very clean and very aesthetic - but also they had a bit of a pattern, a bit of style and a bit of an edge to them which I loved. That still rings true to me now.
As this is your first sneaker collaboration, why does now feel like the right time to step into that space with Axel Arigato?
I think it's really great to collab with Axel Arigato because I'm at a point where I feel like fashion and style has really come into tennis and it's something that I've been more drawn to over the last few years. To be able to collaborate with Axel on something that I truly love, which is the shoe, makes me feel incredible about my tennis, but also what I can can do in terms of off-court style as well.
You collaborated closely with creative director Jens Werner. What did that creative process look like, especially considering your personal interest in photography and design?
It was great to work alongside Jens because it was interesting to see inside how the shoes are made and how the creative is drawn up. As someone who is very interested in photography and creating things, it was an honor to be a part of that and something that I'm very interested in outside of tennis.
With this drop timed around Roland Garros, how does launching the collaboration alongside one of the sport’s biggest stages shape the experience for you?
I think it's just going to be really amazing timing. The summer is coming and to be able to create a shoe which linked into the different Grand Slams with a real story behind them - and a bit of a mystery into what's coming next - creates something very special.
Tennis has always had a unique relationship with style, from traditional all-whites to today’s tunnel fits. What is your personal relationship to fashion and style?
My relationship with my personal style is very free. I'd like to feel that I'm quite versatile with my style, especially in sport - I always wear sportswear, but I've become more involved in the fashion industry with my ambassadorship for Burberry. I think tennis is a great sport for it because everyone's unique, everyone's different, and everyone's got a different style of playing - so it really relates to personal style and the ability to express yourself and who you want to be.
The sport feels like it’s having a renewed cultural moment right now. What makes a tennis-inspired sneaker feel particularly relevant in 2026?
I really do believe that Axel Arigato's are the best shoes for casual wear, I see them all over the place when I'm traveling around the world. They’ve got a huge community of people that love their shoes, so it’s nice to showcase a brand that I love and a brand that I'm really passionate about in the in the world of tennis.
You’re currently the UK’s number one. What would you like your fans to take away from this collaboration, and what do you hope they feel when they pick up a pair?
I hope more than anything that people who see me wear their shoes are inspired to go out and buy a pair and try them. Not only the collection that I've worked on, but also Axel Arigato as a brand is something that people have to know about. They make a massive difference to personal style and they they pretty much go with anything. I haven't heard one person who wears them saying that they don't absolutely love the brand and love the way the shoes are put together and what they're about.
