Draper: "Part of the blame for my serious injury lies with Alcaraz and Sinner"
The Brit confesses to feeling prepared to be the third leg of a Big 3 alongside Alcaraz and Sinner, after having overcome an injury for which he attributes certain responsibility to the circuit's top players.
Encouraging return of Jack Draper to the courts after many months away due to a serious injury on his left arm. The British player, a great revelation in the first part of the past year, suffered severe shoulder and elbow issues that affected his whole arm and forced him to stop. He partly blames Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for this injury, setting himself the goal of catching up with them in this new stage.
The 2026 Davis Cup witnessed one of the main attractions of this part of the season, which was to see in what physical, mental, and tennis shape Jack Draper returned to competition. The champion of the last edition of Indian Wells and a potential threat to the dominance imposed by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner showcased a good version of himself and spoke in a press conference about the ordeal he has been through and how it will influence his personality and his tennis.
Draper has been out for months due to a bone edema in his left arm
"My goal last year was to reach the level of Carlos and Jannik, and that made me push my body too hard. I tried to hit the ball harder, get free points, and change my game when I wasn't physically prepared for it. The desire to close the gap in level with them became a stress for me, so in a way, they are to blame for my physical problems. During my time off, I have learned a lot about myself and have done things that will help me improve this year," confessed the British player.
It's alarming to realize how much the Spanish and Italian players influence their rivals, and how there are different ways to face their dominance. Some simply accept the situation, resigning themselves to a context of submission to them, but a young and promising player like Jack Draper seems willing to do whatever it takes to challenge the status quo.
The British player states he will do everything possible to reach the level of Alcaraz and Sinner
"They are the great leaders of tennis, and what I want most is to match their level. I will do everything in my power to achieve that. During this period, which I wouldn't wish on anyone, I have learned things on a personal and professional level that I am convinced will drive me to be a better player. I believe that right now, I am a more complete and reliable player than in my best moments of last year. I took the injury as an opportunity, and now it's time to prove that I have made use of it," said a man who has suffered greatly from the bone edema that formed in his entire arm.
Aware that he will need time to regain his competitive pace, the British player shows great determination to be a protagonist in the short and medium term. "The bone needs to regenerate and strengthen gradually. The more I play and compete, the more I get used to the effort in my arm that it entails. It is natural to feel some discomfort, but I know it's time to return, and I have full confidence that I will manage it well," affirmed Jack Draper, who will be one of the main attractions in the first Masters 1000 of the year.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Draper: “Me lesioné intentando igualar el nivel de Alcaraz y Sinner”