British No. 1 Jack Draper has confirmed he won’t play on the 2026 Australian Open, as he continues to get better from a bruised bone in his left arm.
The 24-year-old has struggled with damage in 2025, having performed only one singles match since Wimbledon — and he now admits that the primary Grand Slam of the following calendar yr comes barely too quickly.
In a video on X, Draper mentioned: “Sadly, me and my crew have determined to not head out to Australia this yr. It is a actually, actually robust choice, with Australia being a Grand Slam, it is one of many greatest tournaments in our sport.
“I’ve had this damage for a very long time and, I am on the finish phases of the method, and to step again on court docket in best-of-five set tennis so quickly simply would not really feel just like the good move, proper now, for me and my tennis.
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“I’ve clearly been via a good quantity of setbacks up to now — however by far and away this one’s been probably the most troublesome, probably the most difficult and complicated one which I’ve had.
Draper’s final singles match was his first spherical win on the U.S. Open over Federico Agustin Gomez. He appeared uncomfortable on serve in the course of the sport, earlier than later confirming he would withdraw from the event.
He was recognized with a bruised bone following his second spherical defeat to Marin Cilic at Wimbledon.
The Brit, who’s ranked No. 10 on this planet in males’s singles, had hoped to make his return on the Final Tennis Showdown at London’s Copper Field final month — however was suggested to attend longer earlier than taking part in.
“It is bizarre, it all the time appears to make me extra resilient, make me hungrier, to make me wish to change into the participant I wish to change into much more. I am trying ahead to getting again on the market in 2026 and competing.
“I simply wish to thank everybody all of the help in 2025. It means the world to me to be competing and to be taking part in on the market on the tour with the opposite guys, and I am trying ahead to doing that once more,” added Draper.
The Australian Open’s foremost draw will start on Jan. 12.
