Draper and a worrying look at the future of tennis: "I hope things change over time"

Carlos Navarro | 28 Jun 2026 | 21.16

Draper wants to achieve great things at Wimbledon. Source: Getty

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At this point last year, Jack Draper arrived at Wimbledon as the fourth seed. His name was among the top favorites to win the title, exuding the confidence that no one wanted to face him in his half of the draw, given his affinity with this surface and his excellent form. Twelve months later, following a serious injury, a period without competing, a complete team change, and a sharp drop in the rankings, Jack's outlook is very different... but the eagerness to play at home and push his boundaries at the All England Tennis Club, of course, remains.

There are many unknowns surrounding his participation in Wimbledon 2026. Will he be in ideal conditions to compete? Can he withstand the physical demands of a five-set match? No one better than himself to answer these questions. Perhaps freed from the pressure of previous years and with the responsibility of playing on Tuesday on Centre Court against Taylor Fritz, a renewed focus and the assistance of Andy Murray could be great allies for Jack to smile again... although his first meeting with the media left more reflections than smiles, and some of them predict a pessimistic view of the current circuit.

Why are there so many injuries in today's tennis? Draper gives his take on the matter, expresses his opinion, and talks about Alcaraz or Musetti

- Managing the timing of his return to the ATP circuit and having missed many events to come back in good condition

"The nature of my injuries, especially the one I had after Wimbledon last year, is extremely complicated. These are the kind of injuries where you're not sure when you can push and when you shouldn't. I play a very aggressive sport, where sometimes you have to go out on the court dealing with some discomfort. Sometimes it's too much, sometimes it's not. I rely on the people around me, and I wouldn't be competing if there was a possibility that everything would go much worse, obviously."

- How to handle mentally so many periods of injuries and such instability regarding your body

"It's very difficult. When I was younger, I had several setbacks, but I was able to bounce back and had a couple of years with hardly any. I made huge progress. Last year I came here as the #4 in the world, I felt amazing, looking forward to what was to come. I felt that I was building a lot of confidence in my tennis, my body, and my mind. Then you go through something that makes you hit the brakes, and it happens when you least expect it."

Accepting that is very complicated, especially when you have already overcome everything you have in the past. I didn't know I was going to have the year that I finally had with the injuries, unable to play much, seeing your ranking drop and being back to square one. I suppose now you have to look at it from the present, look at the positive side of everything: I have to rebuild myself and practically start over. I feel like my tennis hasn't gone anywhere: I haven't lacked dedication a single day during my recovery, and now I'm in a good place. I still believe, even after everything, that I am competing at a very high level. I am very eager to return to the top."

- How close are you to your 100%?

"I would say that my power, when competing, is in a very good place. I'm moving great. Still far from perfect, but I'm getting closer. It has been a very long process that has demanded a lot from me mentally, always thinking about coming back, time and again. At the same time, I feel that I can compete at a high level and challenge the best. I remember there was a stage, earlier this year, where I committed to many things. I started using natural gut strings, made changes in different areas of my game, barely trained... now I'm in a position where I have that load and volume in my body and can go out there and focus solely on competing."

Draper shared a brutal reflection on the nature of his injuries and whether we should be alarmed by the amount of physical discomfort many players on the circuit suffer

"I think my arm injury is something I couldn't anticipate. It was bad luck. With muscles, it's more about workload, just like with bones. We are in a sport where we compete all the time, train all the time, to improve our tennis. Last year I did great at the Masters 1000, trying to develop my tennis to get closer to players like Alcaraz and Sinner, who play at an incredibly high level. Simply, my body broke down."

It is very concerning for the state of men's tennis, especially right now. The number of injuries, especially in young players like Musetti, Fils, who I know has had many issues, Alcaraz's wrist... when I looked at the tournament draws in the weeks when I couldn't compete, all injuries were to the shoulder, arm, wrist. If that is due to the quality of the balls... I don't think more matches are played now than before, for example.

I think the way athletes improve and hit the ball with more force, also moving better, leaves us with the need to take an introspective look at what we are doing on the tour. Paying attention to the state of the Masters 1000, twelve-day events. I was aware of those conversations when I was in the top 10; now that I am not, I don't care as much about what I say. Tournaments are going to suffer a lot if nothing changes. It is an important issue, and I hope things change over time."

- Andy Murray, part of his team: What advice does he give and what does he bring to a tournament that was so special for him?

"Having him close helps a lot, certainly. He is one of my biggest role models. Having him here, not only in this tournament but in recent weeks, has boosted my confidence. These haven't been easy moments, but him helping me navigate through this stage, as I return to the court, return to training and competing, has been very special. It's only the beginning. Andy has dealt with a thousand things throughout his career, and I greatly admire everything he has done; I think we make a very special team."

I haven't asked him about his stories and memories here, I think it's somewhat complicated. Each player has their own experiences, and I am convinced that Andy has experienced many emotions here. I believe he has publicly stated that Wimbledon was not the least stressful tournament he has ever played in, and that is undeniable proof of all the work and dedication he always put in. Andy is a complete example of the professionalism that a tennis player should embody.

There's a special bond between Jack & Coach Andy 🙌#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/zhy0OFJBm2
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 28, 2026

- Now, a very important match and a tough test in the first round against Taylor Fritz

"It's an incredibly tough start. I knew coming into this tournament that, not being a seeded player, I could face anyone. Taylor is a fierce competitor. We've played five or six times, and they have always been great battles decided by whoever performed better in crucial moments. In those matches, I would also say we brought out the best in each other. There aren't many draws tougher than this one. It's important for me to focus on my preparation: I believe, of course, that I can win this match. I know that to do so, I must play incredible tennis and compete at my best."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Draper y una preocupante mirada al futuro del tenis: "Espero que las cosas cambien con el tiempo"

Jack Draper