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Opinion

The mistake Jack Draper must avoid repeating at the 2026 Australian Open

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The second half of Jack Draper’s 2025 campaign has not gone to plan.

The British star rocketed up the rankings at the start of the year, reaching world number four after impressive performances at Indian Wells and the Madrid Open.

However, after a shock exit to Marin Cilic in the Wimbledon second round, Draper has suffered from an ongoing issue with his left arm.

The injury forced him to withdraw from the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, before departing from the US Open ahead of his second-round match.

On Tuesday, Draper revealed he would be sidelined for the rest of 2025, and he must ensure that a repeat mistake is not made when heading into the new season.

Jack Draper of the United Kingdom reacts against Federico Agustin Gomez of Argentina during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images

Jack Draper should not play at the 2026 Australian Open unless he is fully recuperated

Jack Draper’s left arm issue has plagued him for nearly two months, forcing him to withdraw from tournaments where he is a contender for the title.

Therefore, it is fair to assume that his left arm injury is more than just a small, insignificant issue that will heal itself in good time.

Injuries must be handled with the utmost care, especially those that linger on and test a player’s patience.

Jack Draper’s desire to play every tournament is obvious, and this is a factor that should always be celebrated.

However, within the context of Draper’s injury troubles, the Brit’s passion for playing must be moved down the list of priorities.

Britain's Jack Draper plays a return to Argentina's Federico Agustin Gomez during their men's singles first round tennis match on day two of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 25, 2025
Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Playing at the US Open was a mistake, one that has likely contributed to his withdrawal from all tennis tournaments for the rest of the year.

Draper cannot afford to make the same error when the 2026 Australian Open comes into view. If his left arm is not in the best shape possible ahead of the tournament, he should lengthen his recovery period and not run the risk of further damaging his arm.

How many ATP points will Jack Draper lose?

Jack Draper is set to take a big rankings hit as 2025 draws to a close.

The Brit played in three ATP tournaments between the 2024 US Open and the end of the year. These were the Japan Open, Vienna Open and Paris Masters.

TournamentRoundATP Points
Japan OpenQuarter-finals100
Vienna OpenChampion500
Paris MastersRound of 16100
Jack Draper’s run after the 2024 US Open…

Draper reached the Japan Open quarter-finals, won the Vienna Open, and reached the Paris Masters round of 16.

As a result, Draper had 700 points to defend from these three tournaments heading into 2025.

Draper, who has reached as high as world number four in 2025, has already fallen to the seventh spot, and could be set for another significant drop in the last few months of the year.