Jack Draper's promising clay court season has been abruptly halted by a persistent knee injury, forcing the British tennis star to withdraw from two major tournaments.
The 24-year-old announced he will miss both this week's Madrid Open and next month's Italian Open due to an aggravated tendon in his knee. This setback comes after he already skipped the Monte Carlo Masters and retired from his only clay court match this season in Barcelona.
"An aggravated tendon in my knee means I am not able to play in Madrid and Rome," Draper confirmed. "It's frustrating for sure, but I am thankful it isn't anything more serious. Recovery is going well and I feel good about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros."
Draper's injury woes have plagued his comeback from bone bruising that kept him off the tour for months following Wimbledon. The problem first surfaced visibly during his Barcelona match against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, where he struggled with movement and required physio tape below his right knee before retiring in the deciding set.
The timing couldn't be worse for the 2024 US Open semi-finalist, who had significant ranking points to defend. Last year, Draper reached his first clay court final in Madrid and followed that with a quarter-final appearance in Rome. The loss of 850 ranking points is expected to drop him outside the world's top 70, making him unseeded for upcoming Grand Slam events.
Despite the setback, Draper remains optimistic about his French Open prospects, scheduled to begin May 24th in Paris. He's considering playing an ATP event in either Hamburg or Geneva the week before Roland Garros to build momentum.
This latest injury continues a pattern of physical challenges for the former British number one, who has missed substantial playing time throughout his young career due to shoulder, hip, and arm issues. Yet his resilience was evident earlier this season when he defeated Novak Djokovic en route to the Indian Wells quarter-finals.
Draper's absence leaves Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie as the only British players in Madrid's main draw, with Emma Raducanu also missing the tournament due to illness recovery and Sonay Kartal sidelined with a back injury.
Reflecting on his approach to injury setbacks, Draper recently shared: "Tennis is a bubble, and sometimes you can get distracted that it's all that matters in life. When I have time out, I use it wisely to make sure that when I try and come back to tennis, that I'm ready to go all the way again."