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Jack Draper has announced he will miss next month’s Australian Open after admitting he is not quite ready for a return to top-level competition.
The British number 1 has played just one match since Wimbledon, with bone bruises in his left arm curtailing his 2025 season, and he is expected to remain on the sidelines for some time longer.
Draper, ranked 10th in the world, said in a video on X on Boxing Day: “Unfortunately, my team and I have decided not to travel to Australia this year.
“It’s a really, really tough decision, obviously (with) Australia being a Grand Slam, it’s one of the biggest tournaments in our sport.
“However, I have been dealing with this injury for a long time, I am at the very end of the process and returning to the court so soon to play best of five sets just does not seem like a wise decision for me and my tennis.
“I’ve obviously been through quite a few setbacks so far, but this one has been by far the hardest, most difficult and most complex I’ve had.
“It’s weird, it always seems to make me more resilient, makes me even hungrier to become the player I want to become even more.
“I can’t wait to get back out there in 2026 and compete. I just want to thank everyone for all your support in 2025. It means the world to me to compete and play on tour with the other guys. I can’t wait to do it again. Take care everyone and thank you for your support.”
Although Draper has been dealing with an arm injury for some time now, the video update caused a surprise as it came two days after he was filmed telling fans he would be playing in Australia.
The 24-year-old has been seriously injured before, missing six months of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury that required multiple surgeries.
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Sky Sports’ Laura Robson and Tim Henman discuss British number one Draper’s withdrawal from the US Open in September due to his problematic arm injury
Draper has managed his schedule more carefully since, reaching the semifinals of the US Open in 2024 and winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title earlier this year in March at Indian Wells.
The Briton reached career No. 4 in the world in June, but injury cut his season short as he withdrew after the first round of the US Open and missed the ATP Tour final in Turin.
Draper had been earmarked to return at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown grand final in London earlier this month, but he followed advice to take more time to recover.
By skipping the first Grand Slam of the season, which begins on January 18 in Melbourne, Draper is now likely targeting a return in February before his title defense at Indian Wells in early March.
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