Jack Draper reveals severe injury struggles ahead of Eastbourne return
British tennis player Jack Draper is set to return at the Eastbourne Open ahead of Wimbledon following a frustrating 12-month injury spell that has seen his world ranking plummet.
The 22-year-old has fallen to 160th in the ATP standings after battling continuous physical setbacks.
He is now preparing to test his match fitness on the south coast against American fifth seed Brandon Nakashima.
It marks a crucial step for the left-hander under the new guidance of his coach, two-time Wimbledon champion Sir Andy Murray.
Battling physical and mental hurdles
The former top-10 player first encountered a persistent arm issue at last year’s Madrid Masters.
He pushed through the pain barrier at both Wimbledon and the US Open before an eventual premature withdrawal in New York.
Ongoing knee tendonitis has further complicated his recovery, forcing a frustrating walkover against Tomas Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open in April.
“It’s been an incredibly difficult year.”
Draper told reporters prior to his imminent grass-court comeback.
“I’m someone who’s all-in with my tennis. I’m obsessed with improving and being the best in the world and doing all the right things.”
A glimpse of form and steep decline
Despite his ongoing physical hell, the British hopeful showed his immense potential at Indian Wells earlier this season.
He secured a stunning victory over Novak Djokovic en route to the quarter-finals before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev.
However, the inability to consistently compete on the ATP Tour has been incredibly taxing for the ambitious athlete.
“Outside of tennis, there is not a lot going on for me. It’s obviously been very isolated; a lot of tough days.”
He admitted that watching his hard-earned ranking disappear was the most difficult part of the process.
“I was top 10 in the world, doing great things, and you’re losing your ranking every week.”
Patience ahead of Wimbledon
The rising prospect bypassed the recent Queen’s Club Championships because he felt his body was not quite ready for top-level match play.
Last year, he famously battled through a severe bout of tonsillitis to reach the semi-finals of that prestigious grass-court tournament.
“You know what tonsillitis is like, you’re barely getting out of bed.”
He believes his prolonged absence has forced him to develop a newfound patience with his physical recovery.
Now, he views his current position outside the top 100 not as a defeat, but as a chance to rebuild his promising career from the ground up.
“Having to almost start again with my ranking and with everything, it’s an incredible opportunity to come back.”
