By Richard Pagliaro Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Photo credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography
I have a new shaved head and regain confidence in my left arm. Jack Draper Trying to finish what he started on his return in Indian Wells.
defending champion Draper Arrives at the 2026 BNP Paribas Open with two main goals: to stay healthy and regain glory after an energetic dream run last March.
The 24-year-old British player won the most important title of his career last March, defeating two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals and Holger Ruhn in the final to claim his first Masters 1000 title.
Draper was sidelined with a left arm injury following his first-round win at the U.S. Open until his return at the Davis Cup qualifiers in England last month.
Draper, who met with the media at the BNP Paribas Open today, said he wouldn’t come to Palm Springs unless he was completely confident he could complete the course.
“I feel like if I didn’t feel like I could go all the way again, I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t be playing in the tournament,” Draper said today. “That was probably the main reason I didn’t go to Australia, purely because if I was going to compete, I was going to compete and I wanted to feel like my body was ready to not only compete but go all the way because I believe in my tennis so much that when I go out there, I know I can hit some great stuff.”
Today, the 14th-ranked Draper takes to the court with his Dunlop racquet and expresses his gratitude for being able to play after six months out due to injury.
“Honestly, I’m just grateful to be back on the court and back on tour,” Draper said. “I feel like I’ve improved a lot as a player over the last eight months but I do recognize that I’ve stepped away from the game and coming straight back into the game after being away from it for a while has improved on the level.
“So let’s see what happens. I’m not going to overthink it. My first priority is taking care of my body and making sure I’m well prepared for what’s coming when I’m able to take the court, and I always believe in my tennis, so let’s see how far I can go.”
Draper faces a dual challenge in Indian Wells. He arrives amid a recent lack of competition but without much time to shake off the rust of the second period of a draw with Grand Slam king and five-time champion Novak Djokovic and 2022 champion seventh seed Taylor Fritz. Draper will face either Fabian Marossan or Roberto Bautista Agut, with a possible third round matchup against Buenos Aires champion Francisco Cerundolo.
The left-hander says he is not afraid of re-injuring his arm, and the question remains whether he can play the same brave style of tennis he displayed on his way to the title in 2025.
“I haven’t had one of those injuries where I couldn’t play at all. I’ve been able to train and get reps for a long period of time,” Draper said. “I just haven’t gotten to the point where I can play at the highest intensity that I want to and be a top player again like I want to and what I want to do on tour.
“I don’t have any fear on my arm. I know I have great people around me. I’ve got a good experience now, so I just want to make sure I’m doing all the right things to be able to keep touring week in and week out.”
The former world number four said he chose the short cut to start fresh and make changes after a long absence from the tour.
“What inspired me to cut my hair? I was like, I don’t know, I just went out for a long time. Eight months was difficult,” Draper said. “Especially in an individual sport you can become very isolated. There are a lot of difficult moments when you come out of it and start to feel better, yeah, just to have a fresh start.
“Not sure if this is my best haircut or my best fashion choice, but I think something different is always good. I think I’ll go back to it again, but maybe I’ll let it grow for now.”
