Jack Draper delivers in-depth injury update as British number one withdraws from Australian Open

British number one Jack Draper has revealed that he will not compete at the 2026 Australian Open as he completes his rehabilitation from a "complex" arm injury.

The 2024 US Open semi-finalist has been laid low with the issue since this year's final Grand Slam in Flushing Meadows, where he retired before his second-round match with Zizou Bergs.

Draper recently pulled out of an exhibition tournament in London while he prioritised his recovery, with the hope of being ready for the United Cup and first major of the 2026 season.

The 24-year-old was due to take on Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas at the United Cup in early January, but in a video posted on X - formerly known as Twitter - to reveal that he would not be travelling Down Under.

Jack Draper withdraws from Australian Open with arm injury

pic.twitter.com/giFCnLAPVI
— jack draper (@jackdraper0) December 26, 2025

"Hello everybody. Instead of sending out a message, I thought I'd send a little video to let you know of my progress," Draper said. "Unfortunately me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year.

"It's a really, really tough decision, with Australia being a great Grand Slam, it's one of the biggest tournaments in our sport. However, I've had this injury for a long time. I'm at the very, very end stages of the process, and to step back on court into best-of-five set tennis so soon doesn't seem like the smart decision for me and my tennis.

"I've obviously been through a fair amount of setbacks so far, but by far and away this one's been the most difficult, the most challenging and most complex one that I've had.

"I'm looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing. It means the world to me to be playing on the tour with the other guys."

Draper has suffered a handful of injury setbacks during the embryonic stages of his career but reached new heights in 2025, winning his first ATP 1000 Masters title at the Indian Wells Open by defeating Holger Rune in the final.

The British number one reached a personal best ranking of world number four in June, but he failed to progress beyond the fourth round of any of the four majors.

Jack Draper withdraws: Which British players will compete at the Australian Open?

Draper's withdrawal from Down Under deprives GB of perhaps their best hope on the men's singles side, where only two Brits are now guaranteed a main-draw spot.

Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie will be flying the flag high for Great Britain from the first round onwards; the latter experienced a resurgence towards the end of 2024, shocking Carlos Alcaraz in Paris and reaching the final of the Moselle Open.

Nine British men will enter the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open, though, including the veteran Daniel Evans, Billy Harris and Jan Choinski.

On the women's side, Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal and Francesca Jones have all earned spots in the main draw, and the former is set to be seeded for the first Grand Slam of the year.

However, former national number one Katie Boulter will have to go through qualifying to reach the first round, as will Harriet Dart.