Jack Draper was visibly shaken after his defeat to France's Terence Atmane at the Canadian Open, his eyes filling with tears as the lingering pain in his left arm resurfaced and threatened to derail his comeback. The 24‑year‑old Brit was competing in only his sixth event of the season and his first tournament since withdrawing from Wimbledon due to a chronic arm injury.
In a three‑set battle that ended 6‑3, 2‑6, 6‑2 in Atmane's favour, Draper showed flashes of his former brilliance before the physical limitation took its toll. The match began with a tentative start for Draper, who seemed a little rusty after a long lay‑off. However, he quickly found his rhythm in the second set, breaking Atmane's serve and cruising to a 6‑2 win that suggested the young British star might have turned a corner. The momentum, however, proved short‑lived.
In the deciding set, Draper’s serve lost its usual velocity and his groundstrokes lacked their customary depth, a clear sign that the arm injury was affecting his stroke production. At the point when Draper fell behind 4‑1 in the final set, the emotional strain became evident.
He slipped into a chair during the change‑over and began to weep uncontrollably, a scene that drew sympathy from the crowd and commentators alike. Despite the tears, he fought on, managing to save a break point and later holding his own serve with renewed determination.
Yet the physical discomfort persisted, and Atmane ultimately closed out the match after a total duration of one hour and fifty‑two minutes. Draper's ascent in the ATP rankings had been meteoric. By June 2025, he had reached a career‑high world No.
4, positioning himself as a genuine threat to the dominance of stars such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. His aggressive baseline game, combined with a powerful serve, had earned him a reputation as one of the sport's most promising talents.
Unfortunately, the same powerful forehand that propelled him up the rankings has also been the source of his recurring arm injury. The injury first manifested as a bone bruise in his left arm earlier in the year, a condition that has lingered and repeatedly hampered his ability to compete at full intensity. In 2026, Draper managed to string together a quarter‑final appearance at Indian Wells in March and a semi‑final run at Eastbourne in June, yet his schedule has been punctuated by withdrawals and limited match play. The inconsistency has raised concerns among his coaching team and fans about his long‑term durability.
Since May, former Grand Slam champion Sir Andy Murray has been part of Draper's coaching staff, offering both technical guidance and mentorship. Montreal marked only the second tournament in which Draper could take the court under Murray's tutelage, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining a regular playing rhythm while managing his injury.
Looking ahead, Draper holds a wildcard entry into the upcoming Cincinnati Open, but the Montreal loss and the evident arm pain have sparked fresh speculation about his ability to compete in the United States Open later this month. The uncertainty is compounded by the broader injury narrative on the ATP Tour, as fellow Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Cincinnati to continue recovering from a right‑wrist issue, casting doubt on his readiness to defend his US Open title. The British contingent, however, found some solace elsewhere.
Jacob Fearnley secured a straight‑sets victory over veteran Adrian Mannarino, 7‑6(4), 6‑4, earning a place in the next round where he will meet the 13th‑seeded Jakub Mensik. Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie continued his campaign with a win that set up a clash against 29th‑seed Ignacio Buse. Sky Sports analyst Annabel Croft, who was providing commentary for Draper's match, described the scene as "very upsetting" and noted the emotional intensity of the moment.
She remarked, "He was bent over, literally erupting with emotion. It was very, very upsetting to see. I can only assume the arm is hurting, and he couldn't hold it in any longer. You just wonder what was going through his mind at that point." Croft further explained that the injury appeared to have resurfaced dramatically, noting the stark contrast between Draper's strong second‑set performance and the subsequent loss of pace on his serve.
"He wasn't going after big serves; he was rolling them in. He hasn't really hit a serve since, and his groundstrokes have also lost their usual aggression," she observed. The broader context of the tour underscores how injuries can abruptly alter a player's trajectory.
Alcaraz's wrist problem, which forced him out of Barcelona in April and prevented him from defending his French Open title, serves as a reminder that even the game's elite are vulnerable. Both Alcaraz and Draper now face critical periods where medical clearance and careful management will determine whether they can return to their pre‑injury form in time for the season‑closing Grand Slam. Fans can continue to follow the National Bank Open—featuring both the WTA event in Toronto and the ATP competition in Montreal—through live broadcasts on Sky Sports or via streaming platforms such as NOW and the Sky Sports app.
The tournament will conclude on August 13, with the final rounds promising high‑stakes tennis despite the ongoing injury concerns affecting several top contenders.