Jack Draper has confirmed his withdrawal from the French Open 2026 on social media
Jack Draper has confirmed he will not feature in the upcoming French Open as the Brit’s torrid 2026 rolls on. Draper had made his return to the court following an injury setback earlier this year, but was forced to sit out the ongoing Madrid Open with a knee complaint.
The British number two also announced he would skip the Italian Open in Rome shortly after Madrid, and had been holding out hope of getting back to full fitness in time for Roland-Garros. However, the 24-year-old took to social media to confirm his clay season is now over entirely, raising fresh concerns over his fitness ahead of Wimbledon later this summer.
Posting on social media, the 2025 Indian Wells champion said: “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.
READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka reacts to Madrid Open exit as tennis star says she is ‘proud’READ MORE: Morgan Riddle drops telling Taylor Fritz split hint in social media post
“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. See you soon !”
Britain’s second-ranked player is hoping to make his comeback during the grass court season, potentially at Stuttgart, where he is a former champion.
It is understood that risking his fitness on clay, particularly over best-of-five sets, simply wasn’t worth it.
Draper can now make the most of a training block before transitioning to grass.
Draper managed just a single outing on clay in 2026, with the world No.28 forced to retire injured from his first-round clash against Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Barcelona Open.
That match was only his fourth ATP tournament appearance since the 2025 US Open, having withdrawn from the Grand Slam due to an arm injury.
This latest leg problem is yet another instance of Draper’s body letting him down at a critical point in the tennis calendar, and will mark the first Grand Slam he has missed since Wimbledon in 2023.
Since turning professional, Draper has struggled to string together a consistent run of good health, with the second half of 2024 being a rare exception.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login