Road back to tennis not been a smooth one for Jack Draper: "It’s been tricky — lots of dark moments, lots of tough times"

The pathway back to tennis has not been an easy one for Jack Draper, who is set to make a long-awaited return to the sport after what has been a lengthy period on the sidelines for the former world number four.

The injury occurred at the 2025 Wimbledon in a defeat to Marin Cilic. A bruised humerus forced Draper to sit out of the North American hardcourt swing, with all eyes on a return at the US Open in an attempt to defend his semi-final from the prior year. However, after a first round victory, Draper would play no more part in the major event, leaving Flushing Meadows with his injury still the main talking point. He has not since stepped foot on court, with many return dates swiftly abolished and put back, including featuring in the United Cup and the Australian Open at the start of the year.

Now he has had more time to recover and rest, he is raring to go, returning to the big stage as he represents his country in the prestigious Davis Cup. A qualifier against Norway is his first task, with Draper disclosing the rocky path he has had to traverse enroute to once more picking up a racket.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to compete, but I’ve stayed in a good place," he told the LTA. "Although it’s been tricky — lots of dark moments, lots of tough times — that’s the sport I signed up for."

The 23-year-old had found a consistent patch of form, seeing him accelerate up the rankings with big titles on his mantelpiece. This has been halted for the time being, but Draper is raring to get back in the thick of it. "I’m always learning, always growing, and I’m happy to be back playing again. I just miss the buzz of competing, to be honest. I miss the thrill of playing in front of people, against great players, and that winning feeling you can’t replicate on the training court. So it’s going to feel great to get back out there again."

Draper has regularly featured for his country in the Davis Cup, helping them reach the Finals back in 2023 ahead of a 2-0 defeat to Serbia in the quarter-finals. After two years without participating in the coveted finals, Draper is hopeful of leading his country back to the top, embracing the chance to play in a team setting.

"I’m really looking forward to being part of the team again. Obviously, I haven’t been involved for a little while." He has had a lot of very cool experiences in this competition. "So far, I’ve been to Colombia, and I played my debut in Manchester against Thanasi Kokkinakis — an experience I’ll never forget. Just being part of that team environment is very special for me."

More than anything, it is competing for Great Britain. "I care about my country a lot. I love playing for Great Britain, and being around the other boys is going to be an amazing feeling once again."

He is in a familiar setting with some players that he knows very well. This includes Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley who will also be putting on the British attire, with doubles number one Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool also taking part.

Draper had a very strong bond with Fearnley but was also in awe of the rest of his team. "I think all of us are big competitors in this team. I know Cam and Jacob well, and it’s going to be really special being around Jacob again because we grew up together," he explained. "We played Winter Cup and Summer Cup for Great Britain, and there are loads of pictures of us together when we were really young. To see him playing well on the tour now and to be together again will be extra special. But also the other boys as well — Julian, Cam, Lloyd. I think it’s going to be a really great team environment.

Him and Fearnley had recently braved the icy Norwegian waters together, continuing their special friendship. "Me and Jacob were very, very close friends growing up. Then I went pro pretty early and he went to college. A lot of the UK players now have come through college and are playing really well, and he’s one of those, so we kind of lost contact for a while. But we always remained really good friends. When we were younger, we were kind of arch-rivals as well, so we do have that competitive relationship. It’s great to see not only him, but all the other players coming onto the tour and doing amazing things. I’m very proud of him."

Along with his teammates, he was offering out his flowers to the support staff who helped him get back to the condition he is now in. "I think that’s it really — just being part of the team," he stated. "We’ve got an amazing support staff. I’ve trained at the National Tennis Centre since I was young. I know all the coaches at the LTA, and it’s a really special environment. It feels like we’re taking that on the road with us. That’s the main thing I’m looking forward to — being part of the team and all the amazing people involved."

It was a blistering first half of 2025 for Draper. He won the Indian Wells Open title for his maiden Masters 1000 title while also reaching the final in the Madrid Open, losing out to Casper Ruud.

"Last year definitely started amazingly well," Draper said. "The second half was extremely challenging, but I took a lot of belief and confidence from the first half of the year and what I achieved."

It may be a bit of time before he is back up to speed, but at the same time he believes that he has kept improving. "I’ve kept that in mind and reminded myself that I want to be competing right at the top of the game. I think it’s going to be a bit of a journey to get back to where I was, just because I’ve been out for such a long time. But at the same time, I’m constantly getting better and constantly improving. I hope I get to show that sooner rather than later."

Speaking of Ruud, the three-time Grand Slam finalist will lead his country on home soil against the British opposition, joined by 19-year-old Nicolai Budkov Kjaer who Draper was quick to praise while also commenting on the setting for the action.

"I’m expecting them to play amazing," he remarked. "It’s indoor, quick courts, and they’ve got a young player in who was world number one as a junior and is playing great tennis on the tour. Nicolai Budkov Kjaer He’s going to be really tough to beat — a young guy with a lot to prove. And of course, we all know Casper Ruud has been a top-ten player for a long time. So it’s going to be a great challenge for all of us, but I think we’re ready to embrace it and ready to fight for every point. Let’s see what happens."