Jack Draper to Miss French Open Due to Knee Injury

British tennis player Jack Draper will miss the remainder of the clay-court season, including the French Open, due to a right knee tendon injury.

The announcement was made by Draper on April 29, 2026, via a statement posted to his Instagram Stories. The decision comes after the former world No. 4 retired midway through his first-round match against Tomás Martín Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open in April 2026.

Draper indicated that while his recovery is progressing, he has been advised against the physical demands of best-of-five-set matches on clay. He is now focusing his efforts on returning for the grass-court season, which is scheduled to begin on June 8, 2026.

My knee is on the mend and I’ve started back hitting balls, but unfortunately I have been advised not to play Roland Garros. As gutting as it is to miss another Slam, the advice is not to rush straight back into playing five-set tennis on clay.

Jack Draper via Instagram

A Challenging Return to Fitness

The knee injury is the latest setback for Draper, who has struggled to maintain consistent playing time over the past year. According to reporting from The Guardian, Draper has managed only nine matches across five events since returning to competition in February 2026.

This current struggle follows a significant period of inactivity caused by an arm injury sustained in 2025. Draper suffered a bone bruise in his left playing arm, which restricted his training and forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open in August 2025 after reaching the second round.

The arm injury limited Draper to playing just one match between his exit from Wimbledon in 2025 and the end of that calendar year, ruling him out for the majority of eight months.

Off the back of the arm injury I sustained last year, I’ve been restricted with my training and by giving myself the time to heal and build, I can be the player I want to be out there once again.

Jack Draper via Instagram

Ranking Implications and Career Highs

The forced absence from the clay season is expected to have a significant impact on Draper’s professional standing. The Athletic reports that he will likely drop out of the men’s tennis top 100 as a result of missing these events.

This decline stands in contrast to his form in April 2025, when he reached the final of the Madrid Open. Shortly after that performance, Draper achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 4.

Draper’s absence from Roland Garros marks another missed Grand Slam in a period defined by injury recovery. He has noted that the decision to skip the tournament was based on the need to avoid rushing his return to the rigors of five-set tennis on clay.

As he targets a June 8 return, the focus remains on building the necessary strength and fitness to avoid further aggravated injuries as he transitions to the grass courts.