Jack Draper produced a superb comeback to win his first match back at Indian Wells.
The British number one, who missed the majority of the 2025 season due to injury, recently returned to the Tour and is currently looking to defend his Indian Wells title.
On Saturday, Draper looked to be in trouble as he fell 3-6 behind against Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut.
Who is to blame for Jack Draper’s injury issues?
Draper quickly responded, taking the next two sets 6-3, 6-2.
Following the contest, Draper discussed his injury troubles, noting the changes he has made to help combat his left arm issues.
Jack Draper changed to a gut string to aid his injury troubles
Speaking to the Tennis Channel after Saturday’s victory, Draper highlighted an important change to his stringing material during recovery.
The British number one, who was chatting to Chris Eubanks, noted the well-documented adjustments to his serve, before delving into his equipment alterations.
I had a couple of arm injuries the last couple of years,” Draper said. “Obviously the one I just had was very complex, very long.
“So I had to make decisions in order to adjust, in order to help my recovery.
“That was one of them [the serve]. I changed to gut string. I done all sorts. There’s definitely things you do to help yourself and just learn from injuries.”
Eubanks, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, revealed he had noticed Draper using a gut string for the mains of his racket, asking if the string alteration was to help him get more ‘through’ on the ball
“Truthfully, it wasn’t about getting more power or more spin,” Draper responded. “I didn’t need any more of that, but it was more just… I was at a stage with my injury where I needed to do everything I could.
“To help my arm recover and be where I want to be, and I think with the nature of the game, as well as how hard guys are hitting the ball and potentially the ball being quite soft and in play a lot, it’s important to protect your arm.
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 64 | Christopher O’Connell | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Round of 32 | Jiri Lehecka | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Round of 16 | Ben Shelton | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Quarterfinal | Taylor Fritz | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Semifinal | Carlos Alcaraz | 6–1, 0–6, 6–4 |
| Final | Holger Rune | 6–2, 6–2 |
“I think more and more players are realising that, and probably making decisions like what I made.”
Jack Draper’s 2025 Indian Wells performance…
Gut strings generally provide a softer feel for players. Consequently, as Draper highlighted, the string type gives players returning from injury more comfort in their groundstrokes, limiting vibrations through the racket.
Polyester strings can suit those looking to gain more control while generating more topspin, and are not a material designed, in principle, for comfort.
Draper’s change is understandable. After all, the British star recently said looking after his physical health is his ‘main priority’ moving forward.
Where will Jack Draper be ranked by the end of 2026?
Who will Jack Draper play in the next round?
Draper is set to play Francisco Cerúndolo, who recently achieved one of his big goals by winning the Argentina Open for the first time.
Draper has a worrying history against the Argentine, having lost both of his two previous matches against the 27-year-old.
Cerundolo [pictured below] first beat Draper at the 2023 Lyon Open before notching his second victory a year later during Argentina’s Davis Cup match against Great Britain.
However, much has changed since their last contest: Draper has improved significantly and even rose to world number four midway through last year.
It will certainly be a closely-contested affair, and whoever emerges victorious could earn themselves a match against Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.
Djokovic, who survived a scare to beat Kamil Majchrzak on Saturday, will play Aleksandar Kovacevic in the Indian Wells third round.
