Draper to miss rest of season with bone bruising
Former world number four Jack Draper announced on Instagram on 15 September 2026 that he will not play again this season and is aiming to return to the tour at the start of next year. "I am taking this time to reset and heal so when I return I am 100% ready to go," Draper posted on Instagram. "Tennis is my purpose and passion and so when I step back on court I want to make sure that there's nothing holding me back from where I want to go."
The 24-year-old has been coping with bone bruising in his serving arm and has competed in only nine events since last year's Wimbledon. He missed the US Open, having lost in the first round in Montreal and Cincinnati last month, and he was in tears during his defeat to France's Terence Atmane in Canada.
Because he would not have been out for more than six months, Draper will not qualify for a protected ranking if he returns in January; the rule applies only to players sidelined for over six months. He is currently ranked 155, which means he would need wildcards or to come through qualifying to enter Grand Slams and ATP Tour events.
Draper reached the US Open semi-finals in 2024 and peaked at four in the world last June after winning his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and finishing runner-up at another in Madrid. "Last summer, all the dedication and work I had put into this sport was coming together," Draper added. "It was all going my way and the path seemed so clear. However a complicated injury made things incredibly challenging, and since that moment I've been desperately trying to get back and feel as I once did on the court. "Managing so much change, adversity and pain has helped me to grow massively in many areas of my life but has also made me feel a level of fatigue."
In recent weeks Draper has taken a holiday with friends as part of a mental break and is attempting to aid recovery away from competition. He is expected to make a gradual return to training over the next few weeks as his team try to work out the principal causes of the injury.
The team have been making equipment and technique adjustments to ease the burden on his arm: Draper has been experimenting with natural gut strings despite it being against his instincts, has started using a lighter racquet and is making some changes to his serve, while diet is also being examined as a possible contributing factor.
Andy Murray remains part of Draper's coaching setup but will do a limited number of weeks on the road, meaning further coaching assistance will be required. Over the summer Draper benefitted from the help of LTA coaches James Trotman and Alex Lisiecki, and a permanent coach to work alongside Murray will need to be found once Draper returns to the tour.
With the bone bruising unlikely to have healed entirely by January and concerns about the physical toll of the modern game, Draper and his team have said they will give careful thought to his future schedule. He is aiming to be back at the start of next year and to resume training gradually in the coming weeks.
