“I’d like to go beyond semifinals in Grand Slams”: Jack Draper hungry for a breakthrough in 2026 after an injury-hit season

Jack Draper is already anticipating his return to the courts at the upcoming Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) Finals, following more than three months out. The former World No. 4 was having a dream season, with his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, his best ranking established in the Top 5, and positioned as one of the favorites to challenge the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

However, injuries once again impacted the 23-year-old Briton's career. Back at Wimbledon, it seemed an ideal opportunity to take a leap forward, playing at home on a surface that suits him, and in an excellent run of form on the Tour. He suffered a surprising defeat to Marin Cilic in the second round, and shortly after announced that his bone in the left arm was bruised.

“I first started feeling something different in Madrid this year,” commented Draper in an interview with Tennis Majors. “I played through it until Wimbledon, then got a scan showing a bone bruise in my humerus. There’s been a bit of an epidemic of these in tennis recently.”

Draper opted not to play tournaments during the North American hardcourt swing for the following two months and reappeared at the US Open. He played mixed doubles in Flushing Meadows alongside Jessica Pegula—reaching the semi-finals—while in the singles main draw, he struggled to get past the first round against World No. 270 Federico Agustín Gómez before he withdrew ahead of his second-round match against Zizou Bergs.

Days later, the left-hander announced that the arm injury required more rest time and prematurely ended his season. Draper remained in the Top 5 despite his early exits in two consecutive Grand Slams, and was one of the players considered a lock for the ATP Finals. However, he chose to focus on his recovery. “It was tough to accept, especially after working so hard on all other areas,” commented the 2025 Indian Wells champion. “This injury felt out of my control. I tried to push through with workouts for the US Open but had to withdraw and take time off.”

The Brit acknowledged that he tries not to dwell too much on the ranking drop or how unfortunate the injury was, precisely when he was living his best moment. “Very difficult. But sport has its highs and lows,” he mentioned. “I was on an amazing trajectory, my tennis and body were improving all the time. Adversity always makes me stronger, so I try not to dwell and keep going.”

Things are beginning to improve for Draper, who will return to the courts in a few weeks during the off-season. He will participate in the UTS Grand Final—from December 5th to 7th in London—an exhibition tournament that will bring together figures like Alex De Minaur, Casper Ruud, and Andrey Rublev, and where the local player, Draper, will be present.

“UTS was a great springboard. Being in London with a home crowd and my coach on court was fantastic. It gave me confidence going into 2024. It was a different vibe, playing with some great players. There’s so much going in a UTS match, it demands a lot mentally and physically. My breathing was trying to keep up with my mind’s pace.”

Draper is already setting his sights on the goals for 2026, where he will have a significant defense of points in the first part of the year. After falling to the Top 10, he needs to quickly accumulate victories if he doesn't want to fall too far behind in the rankings, and he has set clear goals for the next season. “I’d like to go beyond semifinals, be top four in Grand Slams, break into the top ten, and win more 250 and 500 tournaments. I want more consistency in big events and deeper runs.”