Jack Draper, former world No. 4, has announced he will not play for the remainder of the current season as he continues to recover from a complex injury. The British tennis player is targeting a return to the tour at the beginning of next year. Draper has been dealing with pain and adversity, stating that the challenges have led to significant personal growth but also a sense of fatigue.
His current ranking of 155 means that upon his return, he will likely require wildcards or go through qualifying tournaments to enter Grand Slams and ATP Tour events. He will also not qualify for a protected ranking, as players must be out for over six months to retain their previous standing.
Draper has taken a recent holiday to aid his recovery and is expected to gradually return to training in the coming weeks. His team is investigating the principal causes of his injury, making adjustments to his equipment and playing style. He has been experimenting with natural gut strings instead of his usual polyester strings, and has adopted a lighter racquet with modifications to his serve. His diet is also being examined as a potential contributing factor.
While Andy Murray remains part of Draper's coaching team, his involvement will be limited to a set number of weeks. The search for a permanent coach to work alongside Murray will be a priority once Draper resumes competition. Considerations for his future schedule will be extensive, not only because the bone bruising may not be fully healed by January but also due to growing concerns among top players about the physical demands of the modern game.