Jack Draper has withdrawn from January’s Australian Open as he continues to recover from bone bruising in his left arm, reports BritPanorama.
The 24-year-old, currently the top-ranked male player from Britain at world number 10, announced the decision via a video posted on X on Boxing Day.
Draper has been sidelined since late August after retiring during his second-round match against Zizou Bergs at the US Open due to ongoing arm issues. His absence from Melbourne means he will have competed in just a single match since Wimbledon.
In addition to the Australian Open, Draper will also miss the United Cup, scheduled for the week leading up to the Grand Slam. In his video message, he elaborated on the decision, stating, “It’s a really, really tough decision with Australia being a Grand Slam and one of the biggest tournaments in our sport.”
However, he acknowledged the gravity of his injury: “I’ve had this injury for a long time. I’m at the very, very end stages of the process. To step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn’t seem like a smart decision for me and my tennis.”
The announcement comes just days after Draper was reportedly filmed expressing his intention to compete in Australia. He described this setback as the most challenging of his career, noting, “I’ve obviously been through a fair amount of setbacks so far but by far and away, this one has been the most difficult, the most challenging and the most complex one that I’ve had.”
Despite the frustration, the three-time ATP Tour title winner conveyed an optimistic sentiment about the future: “It’s weird, it always seems to make me more resilient, to make me hungrier to become the player I want to become even more. I’m looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing.”
Physical setbacks have significantly impacted Draper throughout his career, with shoulder and abdominal injuries hampering his progress in previous seasons. The current arm issue originated during the clay-court swing earlier this year, leading to a month without serving and over two weeks of avoiding groundstrokes prior to his attempt at the US Open.
His 2025 season had shown promise with Draper securing his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, defeating Carlos Alcaraz and climbing to a career-best fourth in the rankings. The ongoing struggles, however, serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of professional sports.
