Laura Robson, the Sky Sports Tennis pundit, has cautioned Jack Draper that he must avoid heading into Roland‑Garros feeling "undercooked" after the British No.2 pulled out of the upcoming ATP events in Madrid and Rome due to a knee problem. Draper’s withdrawal follows a first‑round retirement at the Barcelona Open on Monday, where he was forced to stop the match against Chilean Tomas Martin Etcheverry because of discomfort in his right knee. The 23‑year‑old Brit has now confirmed that he will miss both the Madrid Open this week and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia next month. Despite these setbacks, the 2024 US Open semi‑finalist remains focused on the second Grand Slam of the season – the French Open – which is scheduled for late May.
Robson believes that skipping the two clay tournaments could actually work to Draper’s advantage, especially given his recent history with a lingering elbow injury that sidelined him for most of the 2025 campaign. Draper’s most recent title defence came at Indian Wells, where he entered the tournament as part of his comeback trail.
In a stunning display, he dispatched Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter‑finals. "He really took the time out to make sure it was 100 per cent, and unfortunately, this is now a knee issue that so often happens when you're coming back from one thing, you compensate, you feel like you haven't been able to get the work in where it needs to happen in the gym and on the practice court," Robson explained to Sky Sports News. She added that the current problem appears to be a tendon irritation rather than a severe structural injury, which gives reason for optimism.
With the Madrid and Rome stops off his calendar, Draper is likely to look for match practice at smaller events such as Hamburg or Geneva, both of which are scheduled the week before the French Open. "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 said. "We’ll be watching to see whether he enters one of those warm‑up tournaments because you don’t want to go into a best‑of‑five match situation undercooked, feeling ill‑prepared, and without that match intensity.
He’s still hopeful that the clay season isn’t over for him." Robson also noted that Draper’s ranking is set to slip out of the top 40 as a consequence of the missed events, yet she framed the situation as a silver lining. By avoiding a rushed return, he can focus on full rehabilitation and ensure his body is ready for the demanding five‑set format of a Grand Slam.
This measured approach mirrors the caution shown by fellow British player Emma Raducanu, who has also withdrawn from the Madrid Open while she works on regaining full fitness. Raducanu’s absence stems from a lingering post‑viral syndrome that first emerged after an illness contracted in Romania in early February. The 23‑year‑old has already pulled out of the WTA tournaments in Miami and Linz, and she also missed Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against Australia.
Although she is back in training and eyes a possible appearance in Rome in early May, she admits that her return timeline remains uncertain. "If only we knew when Raducanu will return to action," she said. "She’s still struggling with the effects of a viral illness that she picked up back in February. She tried to play the American hard courts but wasn’t able to sustain that consistency, so she is deciding to take more time off.
It’s a bit of an unknown at the moment." Robson emphasized that Raducanu’s situation is purely health‑related and not tied to coaching changes. The British star recently split with Francis Roig after her Australian Open exit and has been working on an ad‑hoc basis with Mark Petchey, while also training with hitting partner Alexis Canter.
"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," Robson said. She added that Raducanu has re‑connected with staff at the LTA National Tennis Centre, ensuring she has a solid training base once her body is fully recovered.
Both Draper and Raducanu illustrate the delicate balance elite players must strike between ambition and long‑term health. The British tennis community, while disappointed to see two of its brightest prospects miss key clay events, recognizes that a cautious, well‑managed comeback could ultimately yield stronger performances at the season’s marquee tournaments. For Draper, the priority now is to address the tendon irritation, rebuild confidence on clay, and arrive in Paris feeling fully prepared for the grueling best‑of‑five matches that define the French Open.
Fans can continue to follow the developments on Sky Sports, where live coverage of the ATP and WTA tours is available, as well as through the NOW streaming service and the Sky Sports app, which together provide more than 50 percent additional live sport this year at no extra charge.