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jack draper will miss Australian Open As the British No. 1 continues his recovery from injury.
Draper had hoped to return to the court before the year’s first Grand Slam in 2026, having played just once since Wimbledon due to a bone injury in his arm last summer.
But as he nears the end of a lengthy rehabilitation process, the 24-year-old and his team have made the “difficult” decision to withdraw from the trip to Melbourne and the warm-up events leading up to it, instead aiming for a return to action later in the ATP Tour season.
“Unfortunately, my team and I have decided not to go to Australia this year,” Draper confirmed in a video posted on social media.
“It’s a really, really tough decision – obviously Australia is a Grand Slam, it’s one of the biggest tournaments in our sport. Although I’ve had this injury for a long time, I’m in the final stages of the process, and getting back on the court so soon in best-of-five set tennis doesn’t feel like the smart decision for me and my tennis.
“I’ve obviously been through a lot of setbacks so far, but this has been the most difficult, challenging and complicated for me so far. It’s crazy, it always makes me more resilient, makes me hungrier, pushes me to be the player I want to be even more. I’m looking forward to getting back out there and competing in 2026.
“I want to thank everyone for the support in 2025. It means a lot to me to compete and play with other people on tour, and I look forward to doing it again.”
Draper reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last year Soon included in the world’s top five After winning the biggest title of his career in Indian Wells.
However, he exited in the second round on home soil at Wimbledon, however, due to injury he withdrew before his second round match at the US Open, where he reached the semi-finals in 2024.
The Briton was to play in the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in London in December but withdrew from that event also,