The 2026 season has easily been Jack Draper’s worst, and he’s now going to miss the rest of it. The 24-year-old player has been plagued by several injuries and has had to withdraw from every Grand Slam since he exited Flushing Meadows in 2025. According to his latest Instagram post, Draper is still recovering and hopes that he will return at the beginning of next year.
Instagram Post
On Tuesday, September 15th, Draper announced on Instagram that he would not compete for the rest of the 2026 season, saying, “Don’t usually love lots of words on here but I wanted to update you that I am aiming to return to the tour at the start of 2027.”
“I am taking this time to reset and heal,” he continued, “so when I return I am 100% ready to go. Tennis is my purpose and passion and so when I step back on court I want to make sure that there’s nothing holding me back from where I want to go and achieve the things I know I’m capable of.”
Initial Injuries
Draper’s long series of sparse appearances and withdrawals began at the 2025 US Open. He defeated Federico Agustín Gómez in the first round but then quickly withdrew due to a bone bruise in his dominant left arm. That initial injury plagued him well into the next season, leading to his withdrawal from the 2026 Australian Open.
The American powerhouse seemingly recovered and began training again but then withdrew from the French Open due to a new injury in his knee. By Wimbledon, Draper had healed his knee but unfortunately had a return of the chronic bone bruise in his arm. He withdrew from that tournament and did the same for this year’s US Open.
Draper’s 2026 Season So Far
In the 2026 season, Draper has only played seven tournaments and 15 matches in total. He reached the round of 16 at the Dubai Tennis Championships, and he even made it to the quarterfinals at Indian Wells after defeating Novak Djokovic.
At the Miami Open, Draper didn’t make it past the round of 64, and he exited the Barcelona Open after the round of 32. His most successful run of the season was reaching the semifinals at the Eastbourne Open before losing to Ugo Humbert.
Draper’s final two appearances in 2026 were short and frustrating. He lost in the opening round of the National Bank Open, and he fell in the round of 128 at the Cincinnati Open. He left the court in tears after the latter and withdrew from Flushing Meadows shortly after. Fans and critics alike hope that 2027 will be a much better year for the dynamic American player.
To end his Instagram post, Draper thanked everyone on his side, saying, “I really appreciate all the continued support from my sponsors, team and people who enjoy following my tennis and I look forward to being back on court to give it my all next year.”
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