By Richard Pagliaro Friday, December 26, 2025
Photo credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography
Jack Draper’s Australian Open hopes had been dashed before the tournament even started.
Indian Wells champion Draper has announced his withdrawal from the 2026 Australian Open as he continues to recover from a left arm injury.
While Draper said he felt he was nearing the end of his recovery process, he admitted the injury was “complicated” and “challenging” and believed it would be unwise to attempt a best-of-five AO match while feeling his arm was fully healed.
— Jack Draper (@jackdraper0) December 26, 2025
“Unfortunately, my team and I have decided not to travel to Australia this year,” Draper said in a video posted on X today. “This is a very, very difficult decision.”
The southpaw Draper has been limited to one singles match since losing to Marin Cilic at Wimbledon last summer. Draper competed in the U.S. Open mixed doubles event but was clearly impaired on her serve and trying to hit overhead shots.
Draper lost to Zizzou Bergès in the second round of the U.S. Open in August and has not competed since his first-round victory over Federico Gomez at the U.S. Open.
The main draw of the Australian Open will be held from January 18 to February 1. Ultimately, Draper said he just wasn’t physically ready to compete in the majors.
“Obviously Australia is the Grand Slam, it’s one of the most important events in our sport,” Draper said in X’s video. “However, I’ve been injured for a long time. I’m in the final stages of my game.” [recovery] It didn’t seem like a wise decision for me and my tennis to get back on the court so soon for a best-of-five set tennis match.
“I’ve obviously had my fair share of setbacks, but by far this has been the most difficult, challenging, complex one I’ve ever had to go through.”
The 23-year-old British player reached the AO top 16 last January, falling behind Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 1-6.
Two months later, Draper defeated Alcaraz 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 in the Indian Wells semifinals and swept Holger Ruhn 6-2, 6-2 in the final to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title.
Roone suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in October, so both Draper and Roone, two of the sport’s young stars, will be unable to compete at the 2026 Australian Open.
