Jack Draper Confirms 2026 Australian Open Participation after Months on the Sidelines

Jack Draper has been sidelined with an injury since August 2025.

Jack Draper Confirms 2026 Australian Open Participation after Months on the Sidelines

Jack Draper (via X/The Tennis Letter)

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Jack Draper endured the most tumultuous season of his career in 2025 after suffering injuries that forced him out of the tour in August. The British No.1 played just one match after the Wimbledon Championships before calling off the season. He has declared that he will be back on the court next year for the Australian Open.

Draper had one of the best beginnings to a season this year and was in fine form when he reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. He then continued with the momentum by reaching his first final of the year at the Qatar Open, but lost the title to former World No.5 Andrey Rublev in three sets.

However, he made sure he took advantage of his second final on tour, which came at the Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells. There, he defeated Holger Rune in straight sets to claim the title, having beaten Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. After that, he enjoyed an impressive clay-court campaign, winning his first French Open match.

He also got to the final of the Madrid Open, his second Masters 1000 championship match of the season, but he lost the tie to Casper Ruud. Following a stellar result during the spring, Draper found himself in the top 5 of the ATP rankings. Nonetheless, he suffered a left arm injury at the US Open after playing just one match.

The unfortunate injury forced the British star to withdraw from the remaining events on tour in 2025. Despite withdrawing from an exhibition tournament in Macau, he confirmed that he will return to the court at the 2026 Australian Open. In a video posted on X, Draper reflected that it hasn’t been his time dealing with injuries and setbacks off the court:

I’ll be playing in Australia, yeah. It hasn’t been the easiest time for me because I was coming up, feeling like I was in a really good place right at the top, and then something like this happens. I guess you either stand still and let it get the best of you, or you keep going. And I think, yeah, that’s just a constant wheel, that’s just a constant wave. You know, you’re successful, then you’re going to struggle, and then you get successful again.

Draper was expected to make his return at the UTS Grand Final exhibition tournament in London, but he withdrew just days before the tournament. He will be hoping that he doesn’t withdraw from the Australian Open as he has done on several occasions this year. However, he will compete at the United Cup ahead of the Grand Slam tournament.

Andy Roddick reveals why he’s disappointed with Jack Draper after the 2025 season

Jack Draper has often struggled with injuries on the court, but last year, he had a good time competing in more tournaments than he had in previous seasons. Also, at the 2025 Australian Open, he won five consecutive sets before crashing out in the fourth round. He looked better physically at the start of the year before suffering a bone bruise at Wimbledon.

Jack Draper US Open 2025 arm injury
Jack Draper (image via Matt Fitzgerald)

During a conversation on the latest episode of the Served podcast, former World No.1 Andy Roddick admitted he was disappointed with Draper due to the injury he suffered in August, which forced him to be sidelined for four months. The American legend noted that he felt for Draper as he continued to deal with injuries:

It’s just health. This one disappointed me because he felt like a guy who through the first four months with what he did to Carlos at Indian Wells and then playing Madrid on clay and making a final there, you felt like Ruud stuck around until he was able to edge him out in that final. But you were looking at this guy, who made a US Open semi the year before, thinking is this one of the guys who can actually interrupt the stranglehold?

Draper hopes he doesn’t suffer any more injuries on tour next season. The British No.1 parted ways with James Trotman, his long-term coach, in October as he reshuffled his team. He replaced him with Andy Murray’s former coach, Jamie Delgado.

Also Read: Toni Nadal Calls Carlos Alcaraz’s Team’s Rushed Contract Negotiation with Juan Carlos Ferrero ‘a Bit Strange’