Tennis May 02, 2026

French Open: Jack Draper pulls out of French Open due to knee injury and Brit a doubt for Wimbledon

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
French Open: Jack Draper pulls out of French Open due to knee injury and Brit a doubt for Wimbledon

Britain's Jack Draper has announced he has had to pull out of the upcoming French Open due to a knee tendon injury, making him a doubt for Wimbledon also.

It is another blow in the former world No 4's attempts to re-establish himself following the long-term arm injury that ruled him out for the best part of eight months.

Draper has managed just nine matches across five events since returning in February and retired during his first-round clash with Tomas Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open earlier this month.

He was subsequently diagnosed with an aggravated knee tendon injury and had initially hoped to return ahead of the second Grand Slam of the year next month.

He wrote on his Instagram story: "My knee is on the mend and I've started back hitting balls but unfortunately I have been advised not to play Roland Garros.

"As gutting as it is to miss another Slam, the advice is not to rush straight back into playing five-set tennis on clay.

"Off the back of the arm injury I sustained last year, I've been restricted with my training and by giving myself the time to heal and build, I can be the player I want to be out there once again. See you soon!"

It is another dispiriting setback for the 24-year-old, who less than a year ago was ranked in the world's top four and appeared a potential challenger to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the major titles.

Now he joins Alcaraz in missing Roland Garros and is almost certain to be outside the top 100 in the rankings when he returns.

The news continues a disappointing season overall for the leading British contenders, with Emma Raducanu still sidelined as she recovers from post-viral symptoms following an illness in early February.

Sonay Kartal has already ruled herself out of the French Open with a back injury suffered at the Miami Open last month, while Fran Jones and Jacob Fearnley have also been struggling with fitness issues.

Cameron Norrie, who is set to return to the world's top 20 next month, and Katie Boulter were the only British players in singles at the current Madrid Open, and it could well be the same for the Italian Open in Rome next week.

Raducanu is back in training and could play at the Foro Italico, with the British No 1 set to make a decision later this week.

Draper, meanwhile, could potentially return at the grass-court tournament in Stuttgart, where he won his first title in 2024.

That begins on June 8, with the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club taking place in London the following week

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, live on Your Site or and the , giving Your Site customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.

Tags:

tennis news

Share this article

Related Posts

Marta Kostyuk defeats Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to win Madrid Open final and maiden WTA 1000 title

Marta Kostyuk defeats Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to win Madrid Open final and maiden WTA 1000 title

Marta Kostyuk claimed the women's Madrid Open title after overpowering Mirra Andreeva in an impressive straight-sets victory.The 23-year-old Ukrainian...

Jack Draper: With injured Brit out of French Open and top 100 rankings, what next ahead of Wimbledon?

Jack Draper: With injured Brit out of French Open and top 100 rankings, what next ahead of Wimbledon?

Out of the French Open and out of the top 100, Jack Draper has suffered with an arm and now a knee injury, leaving the wounded Brit in line to face th...

Aryna Sabalenka: Hailey Baptiste stuns world No 1 at Madrid Open after saving six match points in quarter-final clash

Aryna Sabalenka: Hailey Baptiste stuns world No 1 at Madrid Open after saving six match points in quarter-final clash

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock 2-6 6-2 7-6 (8-6) defeat to Hailey Baptiste to be knocked of the Madrid Open at the quarter-finals.It was...

Madrid Open: Clinical Jannik Sinner holds off 'incredible' Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar to reach semi-finals

Madrid Open: Clinical Jannik Sinner holds off 'incredible' Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar to reach semi-finals

World No 1 Jannik Sinner held off 19-year-old ‌wild card Rafael Jodar to win 6-2 7-6 (7-0) in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on ‌Wednesday, becoming t...

Emma Raducanu returns to US Open winning coach Andrew Richardson ahead of Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome

Emma Raducanu returns to US Open winning coach Andrew Richardson ahead of Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome

Emma Raducanu has returned working with Andrew Richardson, the coach she won her US Open title with in 2021, as she looks set to begin her clay-court...

Jannik Sinner on course to win five straight Masters 1000 titles after swatting aside Arthur Fils to reach Mutua Madrid Open final

Jannik Sinner on course to win five straight Masters 1000 titles after swatting aside Arthur Fils to reach Mutua Madrid Open final

World No 1 Jannik Sinner remains on course to win five straight Masters 1000 titles after swatting aside Arthur Fils to reach the Mutua Madrid Open fi...