“I’m trending in the right direction”: Jack Draper honest about recovery after long injury layoff

Jack Draper said he feels he is “trending in the right direction” as he continues his return from injury, outlining the gradual process of regaining rhythm after a lengthy absence from the ATP Tour. The British No. 1 has spent several months rebuilding his physical condition following a bone bruise in his left serving arm that kept him sidelined for much of the past season.

The 24-year-old began his campaign at Indian Wells this week, returning to the tournament where he enjoyed one of the most significant runs of his career. Entering the BNP Paribas Open as defending champion, Draper arrived with limited match practice after only recently resuming competition.

Having returned to the ATP Tour last week, the world No. 14 acknowledged that readjusting to the intensity of tour-level matches remains a work in progress. His preparation has been cautious, focused on gradually rebuilding consistency while managing the physical demands of competition.

Despite the lack of match play, Draper showed encouraging signs in his opening appearance in the California desert, recovering from a set down to defeat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 and advance to the third round.

Windy conditions and the consistency of Bautista Agut made the opening stages difficult for Draper, who needed time to find his timing and settle into the match after several months away from regular competition.

“Bautista is a really tough opponent. I think it was difficult conditions, quite swirly," he said during his press conference. "I didn't quite get my rhythm in there in the first set but then definitely settled down and had a bit more of a spark about me in the second and third and was happy with the way I came through and competed hard against a tough opponent.”

Returning to the ATP Tour after a long absence has also meant quickly readjusting to the pace and intensity of matches against experienced opponents, something Draper described as part of the learning process during his comeback.

“I feel like I have been practicing pretty well for a long time. Obviously haven't been able to maybe prepare exactly the way I've wanted to because of my injury, and coming back onto the tour I have had to be deliberate and quite slow with what I'm doing. Then it's difficult, because getting out here you're getting thrown straight back into the deep end with top players like Bautista and all the guys here.”

Matches like this, Draper explained, are an important part of rebuilding both confidence and mental resilience after months away from competition. “Today helped me actually playing three sets and being able to stay out there a bit longer and work things out and be in those tough situations mentally, because saving breakpoints and having adversity against you in matches, you can't really replicate how you feel when you're in that situation in practice.”

The Brit also addressed questions about the tape on his knee during the match, noting that minor physical issues are common when returning to full training and competition after a long injury layoff.

Maintaining consistency throughout matches remains one of the main challenges during his return, particularly at ATP Masters 1000 level where even brief lapses can quickly be punished by experienced opponents. “I’m still a bit of time away from where I want to be physically, because I have to make up for lost time on the practice court and on the match court, but I’m trending in the right direction. Week by week, day by day, things are getting better for me.”

With the victory, Draper keeps his title defence alive at one of the most prestigious events outside the Grand Slams. The British left-hander will now look to build further momentum in the next round, where he will face 19th seed Francisco Cerúndolo.