Sky Sports tennis commentator Laura Robson has cautioned Jack Draper that he should not head into the French Open "undercooked" after the British rising star pulled out of his upcoming ATP commitments 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 on Monday after experiencing discomfort in his right knee against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Following the Barcelona incident, Draper confirmed that he will miss this week’s Madrid Open and also the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome scheduled for next month.
Despite these withdrawals, the 2024 US Open semi‑finalist remains focused on the second Grand Slam of the year – Roland‑Garros – which takes place later in May. Robson emphasized that skipping the two clay events could actually be beneficial for Draper, who is still dealing with lingering effects from a chronic elbow injury that sidelined him for the bulk of the 2025 season. The British player’s most recent tournament appearance was at Indian Wells, where he defended his title for only the second time since his comeback. In a stunning display, Draper upset Novak Djokovic in the round of 16 before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev in the quarter‑finals.
Robson explained that Draper’s decision to withdraw is rooted in a desire to ensure his knee is fully recovered before tackling the demanding five‑set format of a Grand Slam. "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, but the good thing is that this is just a bit of a tendon issue," Robson told Sky Sports News. Looking ahead, Robson suggested that Draper might aim to play a warm‑up event in Hamburg or Geneva the week before the French Open to regain match rhythm.
"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 competes in one of those events to get some match practice because you don’t want to go into a best‑of‑five 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 Brit Emma Raducanu, who has likewise withdrawn from the Madrid Open as she continues her recovery. Raducanu has missed the WTA tournaments in Miami and Linz, opting instead to focus on rehabilitation after battling post‑viral symptoms that followed an illness she contracted in Romania in early February. The British No.1 also sat out Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against Australia.
Sources indicate that Raducanu is back in training and hopes to compete in Rome at the start of May. Raducanu’s last competitive appearance was at Indian Wells on March 8, where she suffered a 6‑1, 6‑1 defeat to Amanda Anisimova in the third round. When asked about her return timeline, Raducanu admitted the situation remains uncertain: "She’s still struggling with the effects of a viral illness that she picked up back in February. She tried to play on the American hard courts but couldn’t sustain consistency, so she’s deciding to take more time off.
It’s a bit of an unknown at the moment. She’s not been able to train properly, which makes it risky to enter a big tournament like Madrid. Ultimately, only she knows when she’ll be ready, but we hope it’s soon because she’s a major draw, especially in the early rounds, as she works to regain top form and fitness." Regarding coaching, Raducanu recently split from Francis Roig after her Australian Open exit and has been working intermittently with Mark Petchey while also using hitting partner Alexis Canter.
Robson clarified that Raducanu’s current hurdle is purely health‑related, not a coaching issue. "It doesn’t matter who’s in her camp if she can’t get on court to practice. She’s focusing on getting back to 100 per cent physically, feeling confident, and ensuring she’s training the right things on and off the court.
She’s also returned to the LTA National Tennis Centre for practice, so the technical level is still there – it’s all about being healthy again." Both British players illustrate the fine line athletes must walk between ambition and injury management. While Draper’s knee and Raducanu’s post‑viral recovery pose short‑term setbacks, their long‑term prospects remain bright. The upcoming clay season, albeit shortened for Draper, could still provide valuable preparation if he competes in a warm‑up event. For Raducanu, a gradual return to tournament play in Rome may serve as a stepping stone toward a full comeback.
Fans can continue to follow the ATP and WTA tours via Sky Sports live broadcasts or through the NOW streaming platform and the Sky Sports app, which together offer more than 50 per cent additional live sport coverage at no extra charge for Sky customers.