WASHINGTON, December 27, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
British No. 1 Jack Draper will not play in next month’s Australian Open, he said on social media Friday evening. The 24-year-old, World No. 10, who is in the final stages of rehabbing a bone bruise injury in his left humerus that has limited him to just one match since Wimbledon, indicated he is not ready to play top level best-of-five Grand Slams.
Draper, who reached a career-high world ranking of No. 4 in June after reaching the final of the Madrid Open, the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and the fourth round at Roland-Garros – and also won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells last March – was hoping to return to the ATP Tour in time for next week’s United Cup, representing Great Britain in the mixed team competition. He was also entered in next month’s ATP 250 in Adelaide in preparation for the year’s first major at Melbourne, which begins January 18.
In a video Draper posted on X, he said that his injury, which ended his season after a first-round singles victory at the US Open after playing in the mixed doubles event with Jessica Pegula in late August, has been one of the most “challenging” and “complex” of his young career.
“Unfortunately, me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year,” Draper said. “It was a really, really tough decision.”
— jack draper (@jackdraper0) December 26, 2025
The bruised humerus on Draper’s serving arm, a bone which runs from his shoulder to his elbow, first began bothering him during the clay-court season last April. However, he played all the way through the grass-court season in Great Britain before receiving a thorough examination after his early exit at the Wimbledon Championships.
“Obviously, with Australia being a Grand Slam, it’s one of the biggest tournaments in our sport,” Draper said. “However, I’ve had this injury for a long time. I’m at the very, very end stages of the process and to step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn’t seem like a smart decision right now for me and my tennis.
“I’ve obviously been through a fair amount of setbacks so far, but by far, this one has been the most difficult, the most challenging, the most complex one that I’ve had.”
Draper added: “I’m looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing. I just want to thank everyone for all the support in 2025. It means the world to me to be competing and to be playing out there on the tour with the other guys. I’m looking forward to doing that again.”
