Jack Draper’s season has taken a dramatic turn. The 24‑year‑old left‑handed Briton, who recently fell out of the French Open and slipped out of the ATP’s top‑100, is now battling a succession of injuries that have left his future at Wimbledon uncertain. After an arm problem that kept him out of the Australian Open, Draper returned to competition in February, only to be sidelined again by a knee tendon issue that forced him to retire during his opening match against Tomas Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open.
The injury was later diagnosed as an aggravated knee tendon problem, adding another setback to an already troubled comeback. Since his February return, Draper has managed just nine matches across five tournaments.
His brief resurgence was halted in Barcelona, and the knee ailment now threatens his preparation for the grass‑court swing. The British player, currently ranked No. 28, amassed 680 points after reaching the Madrid Open final last year, but those points are set to drop off next week, likely pushing him down to around No.
49. Additional points from his performances in Rome and at Roland‑Garros will also fall away, which could see him tumble outside the top‑100 altogether. Should he manage to enter Wimbledon, he will do so unseeded, meaning a possible first‑round clash with a top seed such as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, or a fit Carlos Alcaraz.
Faced with the prospect of a grueling best‑of‑five format on the slow clay of Paris, Draper has elected to skip the French Open entirely and concentrate on recovery for the upcoming grass season. This decision, while pragmatic, comes at a cost: the withdrawal from both the Madrid and Rome Masters events already guaranteed a loss of 850 ranking points, and pulling out of the second Grand Slam of the year will further erode his standing. Nevertheless, the cut‑off for Wimbledon entry occurs before his ranking falls below the 100‑player threshold, allowing him to compete directly if his fitness improves.
The British No. 2’s situation is especially concerning given his rapid rise last season. In June of the previous year, Draper reached a career‑high ranking of No. 4 after a spectacular first half of the campaign that featured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells, finals in Doha and Madrid, a quarter‑final appearance at the Italian Open, and a fourth‑round run at Roland‑Garros.
Those achievements marked him as one of the sport’s brightest young talents. Yet the combination of a lingering arm issue and now a knee tendon injury has forced him to reconsider his schedule. Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli commented on the difficulty of returning from injury, noting that missing a Grand Slam is always disappointing and comparing Draper’s dilemma to that of Carlos Alcaraz, who also faced a serious injury.
"We knew it would be a tough year to come back after injury, but it's always disappointing to miss a Grand Slam and for him to make the call so early," Bartoli told Sky Sports. She emphasized the physical demands of the French Open, where the surface and rally length require a player to be at 100% fitness. Former British doubles specialist Colin Fleming echoed these concerns, highlighting the impact of best‑of‑five matches on a recovering athlete. "I think the best‑of‑five is a factor.
It was a factor in Australia where he pulled out. With the arm he was back on court, he was hitting, but he must have been thinking 'am I really going to return at a Grand Slam in a best‑of‑five?'" Fleming said.
He added that Draper’s decision to skip Roland‑Garros is sensible, but expressed hope that the Briton will be ready for the grass‑court swing and Wimbledon. If Draper’s rehabilitation proceeds well, his first opportunity to test his fitness could come at the Stuttgart Open, which begins on June 8. The tournament, played on grass, offers a less physically demanding environment than the clay courts of Paris and could serve as a stepping stone toward the Queen’s Club Championships the following week.
Success in Stuttgart would not only boost his confidence but also provide valuable match practice before the Wimbledon draw is released. Draper’s earlier performance at Indian Wells remains a highlight of his comeback narrative. In just his second ATP event after a long‑term injury layoff, he produced a stunning upset over 24‑time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic to reach the quarter‑finals.
Bartoli recalled that moment: "I honestly thought at that time he was getting himself back on track," she said, but she also warned that the physical and mental toll of injury breaks can be significant. "You can recover physically from injury, but mentally to be on the sidelines, you turn on your TV and see other players in action, it's difficult for an athlete to be able to do what you love the most, which is play tennis." Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski has also urged caution, emphasizing that a sudden knee flare‑up after months of recovery can derail momentum. On his "Off Court with Greg Rusedski" podcast, he explained, "Jack Draper, the shoulder is good finally, and then all of a sudden the knee goes out.
This is disconcerting because you have six to seven months off, and then all of a sudden 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 stressed the importance of not rushing back: "If you come back too soon, and you're not fully healed up and ready to go, you get another injury, because the body is not used to it. So you have to play those practice sets. You don't want to rush back." Looking ahead, Draper’s immediate goal is to regain full fitness and accumulate enough points to re‑enter the top‑100 before the season’s final Grand Slam in New York. However, missing the French Open means he will need strong showings at upcoming ATP events in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati to secure the ranking points required for a direct entry into the US Open.
In summary, Jack Draper’s 2024 campaign has been hampered by a cascade of injuries that forced him out of the French Open and jeopardized his top‑100 status. While his decision to forego Roland‑Garros is a prudent move to protect his body, the road to Wimbledon and the rest of the season will depend on a careful, measured comeback plan.
If he can stay healthy, the grass courts could provide a platform for him to rediscover the form that saw him win a Masters title and challenge the sport’s elite just a year ago. Until then, the tennis world will be watching his rehabilitation closely, hoping that the talented Briton can return to the tour stronger and ready to compete at the highest level.