Jack Draper faced a difficult period following his exit from Wimbledon in the second round, where he was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his arm. Initially, the injury did not appear to be serious, and the world No. 10 attempted a comeback at the US Open. However, the 23-year-old was forced to withdraw from his second-round match after realizing his arm was not ready for competitive play. He subsequently missed the remainder of the season.
Misdiagnosis and recovery decision
In a recent interview, Draper revealed that his injury may have been misdiagnosed at first. He explained that this experience led him to make the decision to return only when he felt fully healthy, prioritizing long-term recovery over short-term appearances.
Preparing for UTS in London
Draper is now set to make his comeback at the upcoming UTS event in London, scheduled between December 5-7. The competition will mark his return to action after months of rehabilitation and preparation.
Draper’s reflections on his return
Speaking about his journey, Draper told UTS: “I think I came back a bit too soon when I played the US Open so after that I decided to really shut it down and look after it. And now I’m building up my confidence and building up my tennis to be at full throttle again.”
He added: “It’s a chance to compete, also a chance to play the world’s best players again. I think when you have time out the game, it’s really important to sort of get on their speed again. Having the opportunity to play before the coming season is important, I think, and really importantly for me, playing in front of my home crowd, playing at the UTS in London, playing at the Copper Box Arena, I haven’t played there before, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 season
Draper’s participation at UTS will serve as a crucial step in his preparation for the 2026 season. Competing in front of a home crowd at the Copper Box Arena offers him both motivation and an opportunity to regain rhythm against top-level opponents. His return is eagerly anticipated by fans and marks a significant moment in his career trajectory.
Jack Draper in 2025
Ranked world no.10, the Brit played his last match on the 25th of August when he overcame world no.250 Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4 7-5 6-7(7) 6-2 in the 1st round of the U.S. Open (draw).
At the moment, during this season the Brit achieved a compiled 30-9 record. Draper has won 1 title in Indian Wells. The Brit was the runner-up in Doha and Madrid.