Jack Draper set for competitive return at Eastbourne
Jack Draper is set to return to competitive action at Eastbourne next week, marking his first tournament appearance since sustaining a knee injury in early April, reports BritPanorama.
The 24-year-old withdrew from Queen’s last week but now believes he is ready to demonstrate his fitness ahead of Wimbledon, which begins on June 29.
This return will also be Draper’s debut tournament working with Andy Murray, who joined his coaching team last month. The three-time Grand Slam champion had previously coached Draper under Jamie Delgado’s guidance before the announcement that Murray would be “supporting” him during the grass-court season.
Draper’s comeback follows a frustrating period plagued by physical setbacks that have disrupted his momentum. The former world number four spent nearly seven months on the sidelines with bone bruising in his serving arm before returning to competition in February. His return proved short-lived, however, as he picked up a knee problem during the Barcelona Open at the beginning of April. The cumulative effect of these injuries has been stark, with Draper managing just 11 competitive matches over the past twelve months.
His ranking has suffered considerably, with the British player falling outside the world’s top 100. He has spent recent weeks training alongside Murray at the National Tennis Centre in London. Murray expressed his desire to continue coaching Draper beyond the grass-court season, stating, “I think the number one priority for Jack and the team just now is getting him back on the match court, competing and gaining trust in his body again.”
The former world number one has been encouraged by what he has witnessed during their training sessions together. He said, “I’ve been incredibly impressed with his tennis on the practice court. He’s a super quick learner and a brilliant player as well. (I have) no doubt that when he gets back on the match court, he will perform well and win matches at the highest level. But right now the focus is on trying to get him back competing consistently again.”
Prior to his injury troubles, Draper had established himself as a genuine contender at the highest level of men’s tennis, widely regarded as Murray’s natural successor as Britain’s leading male player. Over an impressive 18-month spell, he reached the semi-finals at the 2024 US Open, broke into the world’s top five, and claimed one of the most prestigious titles on the ATP tour at Indian Wells. His trajectory had positioned him as a potential challenger to the dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu has decided against competing at Eastbourne, which gets underway on Monday. The British number one, who reached the Queen’s final last week, will instead prepare for Wimbledon on the practice courts.
The landscape of British tennis is shifting with the return of Draper and the absence of Raducanu from Eastbourne, reminding fans of the journey ahead and the unpredictable nature of sport.
