Draper returns to the tournament where it all began: "It meant a lot to me"
The Brit received a wild card to be present at the Canada Masters 1000, the place that in 2022 marked the turning point of his career.
Jack Draper wants to, but he can't. His body, which he pushed to the limit during his dazzling start to 2025, has been taking its toll for a year. First, the shoulder, then the leg, then the shoulder again. A series of misfortunes that have not allowed him to play tennis, and the most direct consequence is that he finds himself in the 147th position in the ATP ranking, but at the Masters 1000 in Canada, which is being held in Montreal this year, he has a golden opportunity to get back on track.
Traveling with him is Andy Murray, who since joining his compatriot's team has only been able to see him compete in the ATP 250 in Eastbourne. After that, he had to withdraw from Wimbledon and the ATP 500 in Washington at the last minute. Therefore, his physical condition is a mystery, but Draper returns to the place where he realized that his career was serious and starting to take shape.
Jack Draper recalled his great Masters 1000 in Canada in 2022, where he reached the quarterfinals from the qualifying rounds
It was the 2022 edition, which was also held in Montreal. At that time, Draper was only 20 years old and ranked 82nd in the WTA ranking. Therefore, he had to play the qualifying rounds, which he passed successfully, to participate for the first time in the main draw of the Masters 1000 in Canada. In the first round, he defeated Hugo Gaston (6-2, 6-3), but he made his first big impact in the second round against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was already ranked number five in the world (7-5, 7-6(4).
But his streak didn't end there, as in the third round he overcame Gael Monfils, who was forced to retire with a score of 6-2, 0-2, while Pablo Carreño (7-6(4), 6-1) in the quarterfinals would put an end to a tournament to remember for Draper.
“It meant a lot to me. I remember I was at a stage where I was starting to break into the top 100 for the first time during that grass season, and then I came to the United States. It was my first real experience with the heat, with a different environment. I was still adjusting to the tour, so everything felt very new to me,” said the Brit during his Media Day in Montreal.
Arthur Fils et Jack Draper qui s’entrainent ensemble
On espère qu’il y a une infirmerie à moins de 100m parce que bon… pic.twitter.com/6kN8uOQzMf— Jeu Blanc (@JeuBlanc_off) August 1, 2026
“I remember playing in Atlanta and then in Washington, and things didn't go too well. I had many conversations with my coach, and it felt like a quite difficult period. We arrived here, and I still didn't feel quite right. I trained and then managed to go on a great run. I remember beating Stefanos, who at that point was number 5 in the world, and also Monfils,” Draper recalled.
The Englishman was aware that it was serious for him: “It was a week that not only took me to the 50th position in the world, but it also gave me a lot of confidence and security in myself. I think it was a big step forward for me at that time. That year I finished around the 40th position in the world. After that, I had some drops in the rankings, but it was the first time I felt that one of the most important aspects of reaching the tour was feeling that I really belonged at that level,” stated a Jack Draper who seeks to feel those sensations again after a hellish year due to injuries.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Draper vuelve al torneo en el que empezó todo: "Significó mucho para mí"