Britain’s Jack Draper has been ruled out of the entire clay court season, including the French Open, because of an ongoing knee injury.
The 24-year-old suffered the issue during his return to competition and had to retire from his match in Barcelona. He then withdrew from major tournaments in Madrid and Rome as the knee problem continued to trouble him. Although he initially hoped to recover in time for Roland Garros, medical advice has now forced him to step back and avoid rushing into the demands of best-of-five-set matches on clay.
Draper confirmed he has started hitting balls again and says his knee is improving, but he will now focus on being fully fit for the grass court season in June. That could begin in Stuttgart, where he previously won a title, before moving on to Queen’s Club in London.
The setback is a major blow to his ranking, as he will lose significant points from last year and is expected to drop outside the top 100. Despite a strong start to 2025, including a Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and a rise to world number four, injuries continue to disrupt his progress.
For now, Draper’s priority is recovery and avoiding further setbacks as he aims to rebuild his season later in the summer.
