Left-arm injury forces Jack Draper out of upcoming 2026 Australian Open

The British tennis star has been struggling with this injury since the US Open.

British tennis sensation Jack Draper, currently ranked world No. 10, stunned fans on December 26 by announcing his withdrawal from the upcoming Australian Open via a heartfelt video on X (formerly Twitter).

The 24-year-old left-hander cited an ongoing recovery from bone bruising in his left arm as the primary reason, emphasizing that rushing back into best-of-five-set Grand Slam tennis would be unwise.

“Hello everybody. Instead of writing out a message, I thought that I’d send a little video recording to let you know of my progress.

“Unfortunately, me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year. It’s a really, really tough decision, obviously Australia being a Grand Slam, it’s one of the biggest tournaments in our sport.

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“However, I’ve had this injury for a long time. I’m at the very, very end stages of the process and to step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn’t seem like the smart decision right now for me and my tennis.

“I’ve obviously been through a fair amount of setbacks so far. But by far and away this one has been the most difficult, most challenging and most complex one that I’ve had.

“It’s weird, it always seems to manage to make me more resilient, to make me hungrier, to make me just want to become the player I want to become even more.”

“I’m looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing. I just want to thank everyone for all the support in 2025. It means the world to me to be competing and to be playing out there on the tour with the other guys. I’m looking forward to doing that again.

“Take care everyone and thank you for the support. Cheers.” This decision caps a frustrating end to 2025, with the uncertainty continuing for Draper, going into the 2026 season.

The arm issue first surfaced prominently during the US Open in August 2025, forcing Draper to retire in the second round against Tomas Machac after just one set.

Diagnosed as bone bruising, a condition involving inflammation and micro-damage to the bone from repetitive stress, it sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

Draper had already withdrawn from several events post-Wimbledon, including the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, marking over four months out of competitive action by late December.

This prolonged absence echoes his injury-plagued history; in 2023, a severe shoulder injury requiring multiple surgeries kept him off the tour for six months, dropping him outside the top 100.

Despite these hurdles, Draper has shown remarkable resilience, bouncing back to reach a career-high No. 4 in June 2025, reaching the US Open semi-final in 2024, clinching his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells in March, defeating top seeds like Carlos Alcaraz en route.

Draper’s 2025 campaign was a tale of highs and lows: a 30-9 record but marred by recurring physical woes. The Brit enjoyed a superb first half of the season, but pretty much was out of action since the conclusion of SW19.

Looking ahead, Draper targets a February return, aligning with preparations for defending his Indian Wells crown in March. “It always seems to make me more resilient,” he noted, expressing hunger to compete in 2026.

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