Why can’t Draper play & why won’t surgery help?
Former British number one Jack Draper withdrew from a planned comeback tournament in Washington after experiencing further discomfort from bone bruising in his serving arm, mirroring a similar late withdrawal from Wimbledon last month. The 24-year-old has been battling the injury for over a year, and medical experts stress that patience and rest, not surgery, are the only route to recovery, meaning there is no quick fix or guaranteed timeline for his return.
Draper has played just 14 matches in the past year and missed all three Grand Slams so far in 2026, dropping close to the world's top 150 and now needing qualification or a wildcard for the US Open starting 30 August. Professor Amar Rangan of the British Orthopaedic Association explained that bone bruising involves internal bleeding within the humerus caused by repetitive stress from shots like the serve, and said surgery would only cause further injury rather than help. Draper has taken encouragement from fellow British players Arthur Fery and Toby Samuel, who both overcame lengthy spells out with the same injury before achieving career-best results.
- Jack Draper withdraws from Washington comeback due to arm bone bruising
- Experts say rest, not surgery, is the only cure
- Draper has slipped near world's top 150, needs US Open wildcard/qualifying
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Jack Draper is a 24-year-old British tennis player who reached his country's number one ranking before being sidelined by an injury to his serving arm. He has been managing bone bruising in this area for over a year, which has substantially limited his ability to compete.
Bone bruising involves internal bleeding within the arm bone, caused by the repetitive physical stress of professional-level serving. Medical experts, including Professor Amar Rangan of the British Orthopaedic Association, have confirmed that surgery would worsen rather than help the injury, leaving rest and time as the only viable treatment options.
Draper's prolonged absence has taken a toll on his professional ranking and tournament participation. However, other British tennis players Arthur Fery and Toby Samuel have successfully recovered from the same injury and subsequently achieved some of their career-best results, suggesting recovery is possible with patience.