Jack Draper’s season has taken a dramatic turn. After withdrawing from the French Open and slipping out of the ATP’s top‑100, the 24‑year‑old British left‑hander now faces a string of injuries that could shape his campaign at Wimbledon and beyond. The Briton first suffered a lingering problem in his left arm that kept him out of the Australian Open and forced a six‑month lay‑off.
He finally returned to competition in February, but his comeback has been anything but smooth. Since his February return, Draper has managed only nine matches across five tournaments. In Barcelona, he was forced to retire in the opening round against Tomas Etcheverry, and doctors later confirmed that an aggravated knee‑tendon injury was the cause. That knee issue is the latest setback in a series of physical problems that have hampered Draper’s progress.
After a promising run to the Madrid Open final in 2023, which earned him 680 ranking points, he is now set to lose those points when the ATP updates the rankings next week. The loss will push him from his current world No. 28 down to roughly No. 49.
Adding to that, the points he earned in Rome and at Roland‑Garros last year – a combined 400 – will also drop off, meaning Draper is likely to slip outside the top 100 altogether. Because the Wimbledon entry list is determined before the rankings fall, Draper will still gain direct acceptance into the tournament.
However, without a seed he could draw a top‑seeded opponent in the first round – anyone from world No. 1 Jannik Sinner to Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, or a fit Carlos Alcaraz could be waiting for him on Centre Court.
The Championships begin on Monday, June 29, and Draper’s decision to skip the grueling best‑of‑five matches at the French Open was motivated by a desire to preserve his body for the grass‑court swing. The British No.
2 has already confirmed that he will not attempt to push through the demands of a five‑set format on the slow clay of Paris. Instead, his focus will shift to recovery and preparation for the faster surfaces that suit his game. If he can regain full fitness, he may target the Stuttgart grass event – the tournament where he captured his first title of 2024 – as a warm‑up before the Queen’s Club Championships, which start the week after Wimbledon’s opening day.
Draper’s recent form tells a story of both promise and frustration. At Indian Wells, only his second ATP event after the long injury break, he produced one of the season’s most memorable upsets by beating 24‑time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and reaching the quarter‑finals. That performance sparked optimism that he could return to the elite level he reached last year, when he climbed to a career‑high world No.
4 in June 2023. That peak followed a stellar first half of the season that included his maiden Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells, finals in Doha and Madrid, a quarter‑final appearance at the Italian Open, and a fourth‑round run at the French Open. Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli expressed sympathy for Draper’s situation, noting that the decision to withdraw from a Grand Slam is never easy.
“We knew it would be a tough year to come back after injury, but it’s always disappointing to miss a Grand Slam,” she told Sky Sports. She added that the physical demands of Roland‑Garros – long rallies, heavy clay, and five‑set matches – require a player to be at 100 percent, something Draper cannot guarantee while nursing a knee tendon problem.
Former British doubles specialist Colin Fleming also weighed in, suggesting that the best‑of‑five format may have been a decisive factor in Draper’s withdrawal from the French Open. “He was back on court with his arm, but he must have thought, ‘Am I really going to return at a Grand Slam in a best‑of‑five?’ It seems to be the same sort of decision ahead of Roland‑Garros,” Fleming said. Fleming praised Draper’s recent return to hitting but warned that playing a five‑set tournament on clay while still recovering could jeopardise his long‑term health.
Greg Rusedski, a former British No. 1, echoed the cautionary tone on his "Off Court with Greg Rusedski" podcast. He highlighted the unsettling pattern of a shoulder that finally healed, only for a knee injury to emerge shortly thereafter.
"You have six to seven months off, then you start to get a little bit of momentum, and it’s not the main injury you’ve been away for, but it’s the knee," Rusedski explained. He urged Draper to avoid rushing back, emphasizing that premature returns often lead to further setbacks because the body has not fully readjusted to the rigors of professional tennis.
If Draper can stay healthy, the grass‑court season offers a chance to rebuild confidence. The Stuttgart tournament, which begins on June 8, provides a lower‑pressure environment where he can test his knee on a faster surface. Success there could set the tone for the prestigious Queen’s Club Championships at the HSBC venue, a key warm‑up event for Wimbledon.
Even if he does not capture a title, accumulating match play will be vital for regaining the rhythm lost during his injury‑plagued months. Looking ahead, Draper’s immediate priority is to manage his knee tendon issue and ensure that he does not aggravate the problem with premature intensity.
Physical therapists typically recommend a phased return: light on‑court drills, progressive strength training, and gradual re‑introduction to competitive match play. Mentally, the British player must also contend with the frustration of watching his peers compete while he watches from the sidelines. As Bartoli noted, the psychological toll of injury can be as challenging as the physical recovery.
Should Draper miss Wimbledon, the ramifications could extend to the US Open later in the year. Missing a Grand Slam not only costs valuable ranking points but also reduces exposure to high‑stakes matches that sharpen a player’s competitive edge.
Upcoming ATP events in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati will become crucial for him to gather the points needed to re‑enter the top‑100 and secure direct entries into future majors. In summary, Jack Draper’s 2024 campaign has been derailed by a cascade of injuries – first an arm problem, then a knee tendon aggravation – leading to his withdrawal from the French Open and a projected slide out of the top‑100.
While his ranking will suffer, the timing of the Wimbledon entry cut‑off means he can still compete on the grass, albeit without a seed and with the prospect of a tough opening draw. The next few weeks will be decisive: a cautious, well‑managed return on grass could revive his season, while a rushed comeback risks further setbacks. Fans and commentators alike will be watching closely to see whether Draper can translate his undeniable talent into a healthy, sustained presence on the ATP Tour once again.