Jack Draper returned to the ATP with a win and a new haircut that grabbed headlines almost as fast as his forehand did on Center Court.
On his Dubai Tennis Championships debut the British number one beat Quentin Halys and showed he can still produce big-match tennis after months off, setting up a meeting with Fabian Marozsan or Arthur Rinderknech next.
Draper’s Dubai Debut
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The match scoreline on Center Court read 7-6 (10-8) 6-3, a neat straight-sets win that will do Draper’s confidence no harm as he works back from that nagging service-arm problem.
The 24-year-old had not played at tour-level singles since withdrawing from the US Open six months earlier, but he had taken a first step back in February, winning a Davis Cup Qualifier before flying to Dubai.
That Davis Cup outing was Draper’s first competitive match for 164 days and it included a straightforward victory over Norway’s Viktor Durasovic, who is listed as No. 313 in the source report.
Injury, Rankings And The Road To Recovery
Draper had reached a career-high ranking of fourth in June after a hot start to the season, but the left arm injury and the subsequent absence have seen him slip to 15th in the world standings.
He won a prestigious Masters 1,000 title at Indian Wells and reached the fourth round of both the Australian and French Opens earlier in the year, which underlined the potential that made his interruption so frustrating.
Problems began in April when Draper developed a bruised bone in his service arm during the clay-court swing and the condition progressively worsened, forcing him to withdraw from the US Open and then step away from tour-level singles action.
His return is being handled with care, which is sensible because arm issues rarely vanish overnight. Dubai offered controlled conditions and a chance to test match fitness without jumping straight into a major tournament grind.
Style, Substance And What Comes Next
Off the court Draper briefly dominated the conversation thanks to a startling new haircut that drew comparisons to Carlos Alcaraz’s buzz job, and fans were quick with jokes about the look before he even hit his first ball.
On court the message was clearer: he still serves with intent and can close out tight tiebreaks, which he did against Halys, and that bodes well if the arm holds up and his schedule is managed carefully.
Next up will be either Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan or France’s Arthur Rinderknech, a realistic but meaningful test that could tell us whether Draper can string a few matches together and begin climbing the rankings again.
Fans and critics will watch his movement, service mechanics and willingness to extend rallies, because the bruised bone in his arm is a detail that requires cautious optimism rather than headline-grabbing predictions.
For now the takeaway is tidy: a comeback win, a boost of match play after that long layoff, and a reminder that Draper remains one of the most watchable young players when both the game and the hairline are in alignment.
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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.
