Jack Draper will miss the Australian Open.
On Boxing Day the British No 1 announced in a video on X that he and his team had decided to skip Melbourne while he finishes a lengthy rehab for a bone bruise in his left arm, preferring caution over a rushed comeback.
Draper Pulls Out Of Australian Open
Unfortunately, me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year.
Jack Draper
The decision affects the 24-year-old Brit who sits at 10th in the ATP rankings and had been eyeing a start to the 2026 season in Melbourne, which begins on 18 January, before opting for a steadier rehabilitation plan instead.
Draper has played just one match since Wimbledon, with the underlying issue identified as bone bruising in his left arm, a problem that first sidelined him during the clay swing and worsened through the summer and autumn on tour.
The injury came to a head at the US Open, where Draper withdrew ahead of a planned second round match and then chose to end his season to focus on recovery, ceding playing time to intensive rehab and specialist advice.
Earlier in December he had been listed to return at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown grand final in London, but a late change of plan and medical caution meant he pulled out and extended his layoff, a move that now rules out Melbourne too.
Rather than forcing an appearance at a grand slam, Draper and his team will aim for a softer reintroduction in February, ramping up toward the defence of his Indian Wells crown at the start of March, a plan built around controlled match load and fitness rebuilding.
Recovery Timeline And Choices
The central worry is the sudden jump to best-of-five-set tennis, which places long, repetitive strain on his playing arm and could undo months of careful treatment if he returned too soon, so the medical team advised a phased return rather than a headline-grabbing comeback.
That caution sits behind Draper’s frank assessment that this has been the most complex injury of his career, one that has tested his patience and forced him to prioritize long term progress over the temptation of a quick grand slam appearance.
He has framed the interruption as a shaping moment rather than a setback, saying the downtime has made him more resilient and more determined to reach the level he believes he can achieve, a mental note meant for fans and rivals alike.
What This Means For British Tennis
On a practical level Draper’s absence removes a leading name from the United Cup and leaves Britain without its chief early season point earner, forcing selectors to reshuffle plans and lean on other players to pick up momentum for the Davis Cup cycle and team events.
The decision also shifts expectations for the start of 2026; rather than watching Draper test himself against the best in Melbourne, fans will follow his recovery week by week and track his return matches on the hard court swing in February and March.
It is worth remembering how high Draper’s level had climbed before the injury interrupted him: a run to the Madrid Open final, a quarter final showing in the Italian Open and fourth round appearances at both the French Open and the Monte Carlo Masters marked a breakthrough season curtailed by physical trouble.
For now the message is measured. Ramp back, finish the rehab, and rejoin the tour when the arm can handle the workload. Fans should expect a calibrated return, not an immediate sprint back into grand slam five setters.
Draper closed his update by looking ahead to a return next year, telling supporters he is eager to get back to competing in 2026, a clear signal that his calendar will be chosen with recovery first and prize money second.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
