Sky Sports Tennis commentator Laura Robson has cautioned Jack Draper that he must avoid arriving at the French Open in a state of under‑preparation after the British player pulled out of the upcoming ATP tournaments in Madrid and Rome due to a knee problem. The British No.2 was forced to retire from his first‑round match at the Barcelona Open on Monday, where he faced Tomas Martín Etcheverry, after experiencing discomfort in his right knee.
The injury, which appears to be a tendon‑related issue, prompted Draper to announce that he will miss both this week’s Madrid Open and next month’s Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Despite these setbacks, the 2024 US Open semi‑finalist remains focused on the second Grand Slam of the season – Roland‑Garros – scheduled for late May. Robson noted that while missing the Madrid event will likely cause Draper to slip out of the world top‑40, it could still be a beneficial move. The young Brit has been managing a lingering elbow problem that kept him largely out of competition throughout much of the 2025 season, and a rushed return could exacerbate that condition.
"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 is more of a tendon irritation rather than a severe structural injury, which gives hope for a relatively swift rehabilitation. Draper’s recent form has been encouraging.
After defending his title at Indian Wells last month – only his second ATP tournament since returning from the elbow lay‑off – he produced a stunning upset over Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 before falling to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter‑finals. That performance demonstrated that his game is back on track, but the transition to clay demands a different preparation routine, and Robson wants to ensure he does not step onto the Roland‑Garros courts “undercooked”. In light of his withdrawal, Draper is expected to target a warm‑up event in either Hamburg or Geneva the week before the French Open.
Both tournaments offer a chance to regain match rhythm on clay without the pressure of a Grand Slam debut. "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 events to get some match practice because you don’t want to go into a best‑of‑five match situation undercooked, feeling ill‑prepared, and without that match intensity. So he’s still hopeful that the clay season isn’t over for him." Robson also touched on the situation of fellow British player Emma Raducanu, who has similarly withdrawn from the Madrid Open as she continues her recovery.
Raducanu has also missed the WTA tournaments in Miami and Linz, prioritising rehabilitation after a post‑viral illness she contracted in Romania in early February. The 23‑year‑old is currently focusing on regaining full fitness and is believed to be training again, with hopes of competing in Rome at the start of May. Raducanu’s last appearance on tour was at Indian Wells on March 8, where she suffered a 6‑1, 6‑1 defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the third round.
She has been candid about her ongoing battle with the after‑effects of the viral infection, stating, "She tried to go and play at the American hardcourts but wasn’t able to sustain that consistency and so she is just deciding to take some more time off. It’s a bit of an unknown at the moment. She’s not been able to put the practice in which means it’s not the right decision to come to a big tournament like Madrid and risk it." In terms of coaching, Raducanu recently split with Francis Roig after her Australian Open exit and has been working on an ad‑hoc basis with Mark Petchey, while also using hitting partner Alexis Canter. Robson clarified that Raducanu’s current hiatus is purely health‑related and not connected to her coaching setup.
"It doesn’t make a difference if you’re not able to go out there and practice, so ultimately, 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," Robson said. She added that Raducanu has returned to the LTA National Tennis Centre for training, ensuring that her technical foundation remains solid while she focuses on regaining full health. Both Draper and Raducanu illustrate the challenges British tennis faces when transitioning back from injury or illness.
Their careful management of recovery periods, strategic selection of warm‑up events, and emphasis on full‑body conditioning reflect a broader trend in modern tennis: the need to balance immediate competitive desires with long‑term physical sustainability. As the clay season progresses, fans will be watching closely to see whether Draper can fine‑tune his game on the slower surface and whether Raducanu can translate her regained fitness into a successful comeback at the upcoming European tournaments. For viewers interested in following the ATP and WTA tours, Sky Sports offers live coverage and streaming via the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app, providing subscribers with over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra charge.