Laura Robson, the Sky Sports tennis commentator, has cautioned Jack Draper that he must avoid stepping onto the Roland‑Garros courts feeling "undercooked" after the British No.2 pulled out of the upcoming ATP stops in Madrid and Rome due to a knee problem. Draper’s recent run of setbacks began when he was forced to retire from his first‑round match at the Barcelona Open on Monday, conceding the encounter against Tomas Martin Etcheverry because of a nagging issue in his right knee.
Following the Barcelona incident, Draper confirmed that he will sit out the Madrid Open this week and also miss the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome next month. Despite these withdrawals, the 2024 US Open semi‑finalist remains focused on the second Grand Slam of the season – the French Open – which is slated for late May. Robson emphasized that while missing the clay events will cause Draper to slip out of the top‑40 rankings, the decision could be beneficial in the long run. The young Brit has previously battled a persistent elbow injury that sidelined him for the majority of the 2025 campaign, and a careful approach to recovery may prevent further setbacks.
Draper’s recent form had shown promising signs. After defending his title at Indian Wells last month – only his second ATP tournament since returning from injury – he produced a stunning upset over Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter‑finals. Robson praised Draper’s professionalism, noting that he "took the time out to make sure it was 100 per cent" before stepping back onto the court. She explained that the current knee complaint is typical for players who are compensating for previous injuries; the altered biomechanics can place extra strain on tendons and joints, especially when the athlete has not been able to train fully in the gym or on practice courts.
Fortunately, according to Robson, the problem appears to be a tendon irritation rather than a serious structural injury, which should allow for a relatively swift rehabilitation once proper rest and targeted physiotherapy are applied. Looking ahead, Draper is expected to aim for warm‑up events in Hamburg or Geneva the week before the French Open. Those tournaments would give him a chance to regain match sharpness on clay without the pressure of a Grand Slam schedule. "He’s looking to take a couple of weeks off now after having to retire from his match in Barcelona last week, but he is hopeful of being able to play Roland‑Garros, and if not, the week before," Robson told Sky Sports News.
She added that the goal is to avoid entering a best‑of‑five match situation "undercooked, feeling ill‑prepared, and without that match intensity." In other words, Draper wants to ensure his body and his game are fully ready for the grueling demands of clay, where long rallies and heavy physical exertion are the norm. Robson also highlighted that Draper’s British counterpart, Emma Raducanu, has withdrawn from the Madrid Open as she continues her recovery from a lingering viral illness. Raducanu, who also missed the WTA events in Miami and Linz, is focusing on rehabilitation after suffering post‑viral symptoms that began in Romania in early February. The 23‑year‑old has not played since her third‑round loss to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells on March 8, where she was beaten 6‑1, 6‑1.
Raducanu herself admitted that the timing of her return is still uncertain: "She’s still struggling with the effects of a viral illness that she picked up back in February… it’s kind of a bit of an unknown at the moment." The British star has also been reshuffling her coaching team. After parting ways with Francis Roig following her Australian Open exit, she briefly reunited with Mark Petchey on an ad‑hoc basis while working with hitting partner Alexis Canter. Robson stressed that Raducanu’s current obstacle is purely health‑related, not a coaching issue: "It doesn’t make a difference if you’re not able to go out there and practice… she’s looking to set that up so when she is physically back to 100 per cent she can feel good, feel confident, and know that she’s working on the right things on and off the court." In summary, both Draper and Raducanu are navigating a delicate phase of recovery. For Draper, the priority is to manage his knee tendon irritation, regain confidence on clay, and avoid entering the French Open without adequate preparation.
For Raducanu, the focus remains on restoring full health after a viral setback and rebuilding match fitness before committing to another major event. Their respective journeys underscore the broader challenges that professional tennis players face when returning from injury or illness – the need to balance ambition with prudence, and to ensure that any comeback is built on a solid, fully healed foundation. Fans can continue to follow the developments on Sky Sports, which offers live coverage of both the ATP and WTA tours, as well as streaming options through the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app. These services provide subscribers with increased access to live sport, ensuring that supporters stay up‑to‑date with the latest news, scores, and highlights from the world of tennis.