Jack Draper has opened up about the mental toll of his injury struggles, admitting he found it difficult 'watching your decline' as he prepares for another comeback. The British tennis star, ranked world No. 160 at the time of publication, has endured over 12 months of setbacks, including an arm injury sustained at the Madrid Masters last year and chronic tendonitis in his knee.
Draper's Injury Battle
Draper initially played through the pain at Wimbledon and the US Open, but was forced to curtail his season prematurely before his second-round match against Zizou Bergs at Flushing Meadows. His latest setback came at the Barcelona Open in April, where he gave Tomas Etcheverry a first-round walkover as the eighth seed. He did enjoy a brief revival at Indian Wells in March 2025, winning his first Masters 1000 title and stunning Novak Djokovic en route to the quarter-finals, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev.
Speaking ahead of his opening match at the Eastbourne Open against fifth seed Brandon Nakashima, Draper described the past year as 'incredibly difficult.' He said: 'I'm someone who's all-in with my tennis. I'm obsessed with improving and being the best in the world and doing all the right things. Outside of tennis, there is not a lot going on for me. It's obviously been very isolated; a lot of tough days. All you want to do is feel the buzz of being out there competing.'
Mental and Physical Challenges
Draper reflected on the mental toughness required to deal with repeated injuries. 'Last year, I thought I was mentally tough, and then going for a year where you have to do the same stuff over and over, deal with the pain, the injuries I have had, and come through those, being a sport where it kicks you when you're down, having to almost start again with my ranking and with everything, it's an incredible opportunity to come back.'
The 22-year-old recalled playing through niggles and illness in the past, such as a bout of tonsillitis that hampered his run to the semi-finals at Queen's last year. However, his ongoing issues have prevented him from pushing through the pain this time. 'You know what tonsillitis is like, you’re barely getting out of bed,' he explained. 'I was reflecting this year, thinking, 'Wow, that was a good week, considering.' I was playing through this arm thing for a little bit last year, and really trying to come back with it. It gets to a certain point where you have to play through it. You have to build up your load and I think these injuries are so complicated.'
Ranking Decline and New Partnership
Draper, who was once ranked inside the top 10, has seen his ranking plummet during his injury layoff. 'I was top 10 in the world, doing great things, and you’re losing your ranking every week. It’s not like a football team where you can have a substitute come in and take your place. It’s like you’re kind of watching your decline. I have learned a massive amount about my body in the last year and my recovery.'
Under the guidance of new coach Sir Andy Murray, Draper believes the Eastbourne Open is the perfect opportunity to test his fitness, which he felt was not yet ready for Queen's Club. He faces world No. 31 Nakashima in the first round on Monday, with Murray watching from courtside. The match will be a key indicator of Draper's readiness for Wimbledon, which begins in just over a week.
