Jack Draper is set to make his return to professional tennis on Thursday when he represents Great Britain at the Davis Cup.
Draper has not played a match since the 2025 US Open and only one match since the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
The British star had been plagued by a bone bruise in his left arm for the best part of 10 months, but will now return fit and ready to take on a strong Norwegian team at the Nadderud Arena in Oslo.
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Draper had been expected to face Casper Ruud in his second singles rubber. However, Ruud withdrew from the event on Wednesday in order to spend time with his wife following the birth of their first child.
Draper will instead face a rising star on the ATP Tour; a player who is a former junior world number one.
Jack Draper says Nicolai Budkov Kjaer will be ‘tough to beat’
Nicolai Budkov Kjaer is one of the ATP Tour’s most promising rising stars.
Budkov Kjaer [picture below, left], the 2024 Wimbledon Boys Singles champion, reached the final of the 2025 ATP Next Gen Finals before losing to world number 24 Learner Tien.
Jack Draper praised the youngster ahead of their match in Oslo, noting the Norwegian’s strong play at the junior level and his hunger to succeed.
“They’ve got a young player in [Nicolai Budkov] Kjaer, who was number one in the world juniors and playing great tennis on the tour,” Draper said.
“He’ll be tough to beat – a young guy who’s got a lot to prove. It’s going to be a great challenge for us all but I think we’re ready to embrace it and fight for every point.”
Draper is accompanied by Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool. Budkov Kjaer is joined by Viktor Durasovic, Lukas Hellum Lilleengen and Andreja Petrovic.
- Match One: Jack Draper vs Viktor Durasovic
- Match Two: Cameron Norrie vs Nicolai Budkov Kjaer
- Match Three: Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool vs Viktor Durasovic and Lukas Hellum Lilleengen
- Match Four: Jack Draper vs Nicolai Budkov Kjaer
- Match Five: Cameron Norrie vs Viktor Durasovic
Draper recently admitted he had ‘dark moments’ during his rehabilitation period. Hopefully the British star can use this week’s Davis Cup tie to put those moments behind him and secure the nation’s place in the second round of Davis Cup qualifying.
Great Britain’s 1948 match against Norway
Between May 11 and 13 1948, Great Britain took on Norway in the Davis Cup Europe Zone.
The tie, held in Oslo on clay courts, was played after Great Britain defeated India in their opening-round match [Norway received a bye].
Norway’s Johan Hannes put the British team on the backfoot, defeating Geoffrey Paish in the opening rubber: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
However, from there, the Brits dominated the matchup.
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Tony Mottram defeated Jan Staubo in straight sets, before Mottram and Henry Billington gave Great Britain a 2-1 lead by winning the doubles rubber.
Paish secured victory by defeating Staubo in the fourth rubber, before Mottram completed a 4-1 win by beating Hannes 6-1, 6-0, 5-7, 6-1.
