British tennis player Jack Draper withdrew from the DC Open on July 27, 2026, after suffering a recurrence of a left arm injury.
The setback casts further doubt on his availability for the upcoming US Open.
The 24-year-old former world No. 4 has plummeted to 147th in the ATP Tour rankings following a year plagued by health issues, including bone bruising in his arm as well as knee and shoulder problems.
Draper has missed all three Grand Slam tournaments this season, having pulled out of the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon before his planned first-round match against Taylor Fritz.
Because of his ranking drop, he faces the prospect of playing through qualifiers for the main draw at Flushing Meadows.
Prior to his withdrawal from the Washington tournament, where he had accepted a wild card, Draper expressed optimism regarding his recovery process despite missing major events on the calendar.
"It was really difficult to miss Wimbledon, but it was the right decision," said Draper.
Draper explained the emotional and physical toll the past year took on his career as he tried to manage his ongoing physical rehabilitation while competing on tour.
"I've had an incredibly challenging 12 months, a lot of adversity, a lot of problem solving, a lot of pain, and trying to understand that and come through it," said Draper.
He noted that this was his first prolonged experience with a severe physical issue, though he felt a surge of energy heading into the hard-court season.
"I've never had a long-term injury before so I feel much better than I ever have in the last year.
I feel physically really good," said Draper.
He added that overcoming the mental fatigue associated with long recoveries was a significant milestone for his overall perspective.
"I was actually saying to the guys that I feel emotionally and mentally, for a long time, like I've been quite tired because of the process, but I'm starting to get my energy back," said Draper.
Despite the frustration of the layoff, Draper emphasized his pride in handling the mental challenges of his rehabilitation.
"To be honest, I feel really, really good, and I'm very proud of myself, the way I'm feeling.
So happy to be here," said Draper.
Injury Details and Adjustments
Addressing the technical specifics of the recurring ailment, the left-hander detailed how bone stress impacts his primary weapon on the court.
"The injury I had in my arm, it's a very complex injury," said Draper.
He elaborated on the mechanical strain that serving places on his arm during competitive matches.
"There's a lot of different things to think about with a bone stress, especially in a sport where I need to hit my serve at 130 miles an hour," said Draper.
Draper outlined how the discomfort disrupted both his performance and his enthusiasm for competing at the highest level of the sport.
"That's my weapon, I guess, my arm.
So when that's causing me a lot of discomfort, it's hard to do what you want to do and to enjoy it as well," said Draper.
He detailed the adjustments he and his support team attempted to make regarding equipment and recovery protocols.
"It's just problem solving in ways. How can I change things?
How can I adjust my rackets, my equipment? How can I recover better?
How can I just do everything I can to get better?" said Draper.
Andy Murray's Influence
After adding former world No. 1 Sir Andy Murray to his coaching team ahead of Eastbourne, Draper spoke highly of the partnership's early impact.
"Andy's been an incredible part of my team so far," said Draper.
He highlighted the calm demeanor and positive environment Murray brought to his training sessions.
"He's brought a real calmness. He's got great energy about him," said Draper.
Draper mentioned that Murray's off-court personality provided a refreshing atmosphere during intense preparation periods.
"I think people are seeing it now more after he's retired, but he's incredibly playful, he always has a lot of fun," said Draper.
The young Briton voiced how meaningful it was to receive support from a veteran champion of the sport.
"But he's great because he really believes in me and my tennis and believes that I can go a long, long way in the sport," said Draper.
He added that having an icon in his corner bolstered his confidence during a difficult career phase.
"To have one of the biggest idols think like that is something to really be proud of and gives me confidence," said Draper.
Draper expressed optimism about their ongoing work together despite the physical setbacks interrupting their tournament schedule.
"So yeah, we're on a journey together, and I think there's so many improvements in my game and so much to come," said Draper.
Media reports before the tournament recorded positive moments on the practice court before the withdrawal occurred.
"Draper just won a practice set 6-1 against Shelton.
Jack's left arm and serve looked sharp; coach Murray is also pleased with his return of serve," said Christian Court, courtside observer.
In contrast, Court pointed out that Shelton struggled during that same session ahead of the tournament's opening rounds.
"Shelton's forehand was very out of sorts. That's something to watch next week (against Ethan Quinn in the first round)," said Court.
Following his press conference, former tennis player Greg Rusedski voiced his opinions on whether Draper deserved a main draw wildcard for the year's final Grand Slam on his podcast Off Court.
"Craig is a smart man, and you need to keep the top players happy," said Rusedski.
Rusedski argued that Draper's presence alongside Murray would create significant attention at the tournament.
"If Jack is healthy with Andy Murray, that still creates a lot of buzz in America if you have that relationship in New York," said Rusedski.
He outlined the criteria he believed the USTA should use when deciding on wildcard entries.
"So if the form’s there, yes, he should get a wildcard. If the form isn’t there, then it’s a no.
But I’m on the optimistic version that the form’s gonna happen and we’re gonna find out this week in Washington where he’s at," said Rusedski.
Rusedski recalled Draper's past accomplishments, including winning Indian Wells and making the Madrid Open final, as evidence of his high potential.
"Don’t forget, Jack was the guy everybody was talking about to mix it up with (Carlos) Alcaraz, (Jannik) Sinner and (Novak) Djokovic, and he was on the cusp of being in there," said Rusedski.
He concluded that tournament organizers will heavily weigh Draper's natural talent when granting wildcards.
"He won Indian Wells and reached the finals in Madrid. And then he’s had a horrid year where he hasn’t been able to play.
So the USTA will look at it because what they gotta remember is if Jack’s healthy, he’s one of the biggest names in tennis," said Rusedski.
Rusedski reiterated his hope that Draper could remain healthy for the remainder of the hard-court swing.
"He’s too big of a talent not to be out there.
Let’s see how many weeks he can go through and hopefully he runs all the way through US Open and we don’t have to talk about injuries anymore," said Rusedski.
Previous statements from Draper during Wimbledon reflected his mindset on overcoming his current ranking decline.
"‘You always have to look at the positive side of things. I have to rebuild myself and I have to start again almost,’" said Draper.
Public statements made by Draper following his initial withdrawal from Wimbledon underlined his deep disappointment with his physical condition.
"I’m devastated to share that I have had to withdraw from my first round match due to a recurrence of my arm injury," said Draper.
He described that decision as the most challenging moment of his injury-plagued season.
"There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months, but this one is definitely the absolute worst," said Draper.
Draper has also registered for the ATP Brownsburg Challenger in Indiana from August 10–16 to gain match practice before the US Open begins on August 30, 2026.
