Jack Draper out of French Open as Briton posts 'gutting' statement

Callum Vurley
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:56:04 +0000

Jack Draper has confirmed his withdrawal from the French Open and the entire clay court season as he continues recovering from a persistent knee tendon problem.

The 24-year-old British player announced the disappointing news via Instagram, revealing that medical professionals had cautioned against an early return to competitive action.

"My knee is on the mend and I've started back hitting balls but unfortunately I have been advised not to play Roland Garros," Draper wrote.

"As gutting as it is to miss another Slam, the advice is not to rush straight back into playing five set tennis on clay."

Draper currently sits at world number 28, but his ranking is set to tumble dramatically in the coming weeks.

The former British number one was defending 650 points from his runner-up finish at last year's Madrid Open, which concludes this week.

Additionally, he will be unable to recover the points accumulated from reaching the Italian Open quarter-finals and progressing to the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2024.

These combined losses mean Draper is expected to drop to around 50th following Madrid, before sliding outside the top 100 entirely by the time he returns to competition.

The tendon issue in Draper's right knee first manifested during his opening-round encounter with Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open earlier this month, where he required on-court treatment before retiring midway through the deciding set.

That match represented his sole clay court appearance of 2026 and only his fourth tournament since returning from a prolonged spell on the sidelines.

Bone bruising in his serving arm had kept the 2024 US Open semi-finalist away from the tour for approximately eight months, with just a single match at the US Open breaking up his absence since Wimbledon last year.

"Off the back of the arm injury, I've been restricted with my training and by giving myself the time to heal and build, I can be the player I want to be out there once again," Draper explained.

Should Draper regain full fitness, the Stuttgart Open beginning on 8 June represents his likely return to competitive tennis, a venue where he claimed the title two years ago.

From there, he would head to Queen's Club in London before the Championships at Wimbledon.

However, his ranking collapse means a seeding at the All England Club is now virtually impossible, leaving him vulnerable to drawing a top player in the opening rounds.

Such concerns remain secondary for now, with Draper's early career already marked by problems affecting his shoulder, hip, arm and now knee.

Maintaining physical health has become his overriding priority.