British tennis star Jack Draper is set to make his competitive return to action at Eastbourne on Monday, bringing an end to a year of injury struggles. The 24-year-old has been limited to just 11 matches in the past 12 months due to a series of injuries to his arm, knee, and shoulder.
The injury problems began at Wimbledon last year, where Draper was enjoying the best run of his career. In an 18-month period, he reached a Grand Slam semi-final, climbed to a high of fourth in the world rankings, and won his first ATP 1000 title at Indian Wells.
However, bone bruising in his serving arm led to his cutting his 2025 season short. He has since been sidelined with a knee injury, which he picked up on the clay courts of Barcelona in April.
Draper will face world number 32 Brandon Nakashima in his first match back, with the support of three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray. Murray has joined up with Draper for the grass-court season and will be courtside to watch him take on Nakashima at Devonshire Park.
Draper has spoken about the challenges of dealing with injuries as a top 10 player, saying it is like watching his own decline. However, he remains optimistic about his career and is determined to fight his way back up the rankings.