Jack Draper has confirmed that he will miss the United Cup and the Australian Open as his arm injury continues to keep him away from competitive tennis.
The British star has not played tennis since the US Open, when he was forced to withdraw ahead of his match against Zizou Bergs.
Draper had confirmed his appearance in Australia, but now he is set to miss the start of the 2026 tennis season.
The star’s withdrawal from the United Cup has affected Great Britain, but now they have confirmed their new team.
Great Britain’s United Cup team has been confirmed after Jack Draper withdrawal
On X, the United Cup have confirmed several changes to Great Britain ahead of the first tournament of the year.
World No. 126 Billy Harris will become the number one men’s player for Great Britain, but that is not the only change to the team.
Who is to blame for Jack Draper’s injury issues?
Doubles specialist Neal Skupski will also replace Lloyd Glasspool for an unknown reason, while there is also a change on the women’s side.
Katie Swan is set to play the event instead of Mingge Xu, who was set to make her debut at the team tournament.
Skupski is a Grand Slam winner and Swan produced a remarkable rankings climb in 2025, but the side have clearly been weakened by Draper’s omission.
The potential reason why Jack Draper has withdrawn from the Australian Open
Draper’s fitness issues are a huge worry, but there could be one clear reason why he has been reticent to return ahead of the Australian Open.
Where will Jack Draper be ranked by the end of 2026?
The best-of-five format at the Grand Slam is a tough ask at the best of times, but returning after a six-month absence to play a potential three hour-plus match could create more issues than it solves.
Draper might have opted out of the long format of the Australian Open in favour of a more forgiving return in the hardcourt season following.
The British star has previously impressed on the American hardcourt swing in the Spring, having won Indian Wells in 2025.
Whatever the reasoning for Draper’s withdrawal, it’s a huge worry that the British star is still not ready to return to the court.
