Sky Sports tennis commentator Laura Robson has cautioned Jack Draper that he should not arrive at the French Open "undercooked" after the British rising star pulled out of the upcoming ATP tournaments in Madrid and Rome due to a knee problem. Draper, who is currently ranked as Britain’s No.2, was forced to retire from his first‑round match at the Barcelona Open last Monday when he experienced discomfort in his right knee against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Following that incident, Draper confirmed that he will miss both the Madrid Open this week and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in May. Despite these withdrawals, the 2024 US Open semi‑finalist has made it clear that his ultimate aim remains to compete at Roland‑Garros later in the month.
Robson stressed that skipping the two clay events could actually be beneficial, noting that Draper is still recovering from a lingering elbow issue that sidelined him for most of the 2025 season. The British player’s most recent title defence in Indian Wells marked only the second ATP event of his comeback.
In that tournament he produced a stunning upset over Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter‑finals. Robson explained that Draper’s decision to sit out Madrid and Rome is a measured approach: "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. The good thing is that this is just a bit of a tendon issue." With the French Open fast approaching, Draper is expected to target a warm‑up event in either Hamburg or Geneva the week before the Grand Slam. Those tournaments would give him a chance to regain match rhythm without the pressure of a best‑of‑five format.
Robson added, "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. That's what we're really going to be looking out for. Whether he plays in one of those events to try and 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’s comments come amid a broader British withdrawal from the Madrid Open.
Emma Raducanu also pulled out, still working on regaining full fitness after a bout of post‑viral illness that first manifested during a tournament in Romania earlier this year. Raducanu has skipped both the WTA events in Miami and Linz, choosing instead to focus on rehabilitation. She has also sat out Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against Australia.
Sources suggest she may return to competition in Rome at the start of May, but her exact timeline remains uncertain. Raducanu last appeared on court at Indian Wells on March 8, where she suffered a 6‑1, 6‑1 defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the third round. Speaking about her situation, she admitted, "If only we knew when I will return to action.
I'm still struggling with the effects of a viral illness that I picked up back in February. I tried to play on the American hard courts but couldn't sustain consistency, so I'm deciding to take more time off. It's a bit of an unknown at the moment. I haven't been able to train properly, which means it's not the right decision to come to a big tournament like Madrid and risk it.
Ultimately only I know the answer to that question, so when will we see me? It's very much up in the air at the moment but hopefully soon because I'm such a draw for these events, especially in the early rounds as I look to get back to top form and top fitness." In addition to her health concerns, Raducanu has 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 clarified that Raducanu’s current challenges are purely medical, not related to her coaching setup. "It's nothing to do with whether you have someone in your camp or not.
It doesn't make a difference if you're not able to go out there and practice. 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. In terms of her camp, she's been with quite a few people over the years and I've heard she's gone back to the people at the LTA National Tennis Centre, where she can practice.
The level of tennis will always be there; it's about being healthy and getting back to 100 per cent." Both Draper and Raducanu’s decisions underscore a growing awareness among British players that rushing back from injury or illness can jeopardise long‑term performance. By prioritising recovery and seeking appropriate match practice on clay, Draper hopes to arrive at Roland‑Garros with his body fully prepared for the grueling five‑set battles that define the tournament.
Similarly, Raducanu aims to rebuild her fitness foundation before committing to a full‑scale comeback on the WTA circuit. Fans can continue to follow the ATP and WTA tours via Sky Sports’ live coverage or stream the action through the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app, which together provide subscribers with more than 50 per cent additional live sport at no extra charge. For the latest updates on player health, tournament entries, and match results, stay tuned to Sky Sports’ dedicated tennis portal.