Jack Draper says the self-imposed pressure to reach the levels of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played a part in the arm injury that derailed his 2025 season. The British No. 1 returned to competitive tennis on Wednesday after a five-month layoff, beating Viktor Durasovic 6-2 6-2 to help Great Britain beat Norway in Oslo in Davis Cup qualifying.
Draper, 24, hit a career-high world No. 4 last June but was then sidelined while several peers continued to lead the sport. He told the Press Association that in trying to emulate their power and aggression he may have inadvertently stressed his body. “Maybe I was trying so hard to play in the right way, to hit the ball harder, to get free points… and that just maybe was a stress for me,” he said, adding that the break forced him to learn lessons mentally and physically.
The injury was diagnosed as a “complex” bone bruise in his left arm after Draper lost to Marin Cilic in the second round at Wimbledon. He says the time away has given him perspective and that he feels a better player now than during his hot run last summer.
Draper had planned to resume on the ATP Tour in Rotterdam next week but withdrew from that event, a decision he described as disappointing while noting he is “trending in the right direction.” The Rotterdam pull-out follows a shortened appearance at the US Open in September, where he withdrew after the first round.
The Oslo singles was Draper’s only match in the tie by design. Britain coach Leon Smith explained the plan to ease him back in: secure the win, prioritise recovery and then reassess rather than pushing for more court time immediately.
Earlier in the tie, Wimbledon champions Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash recovered from a second-set wobble to clinch an unassailable 3-0 lead for Britain, defeating Durasovic and Budkov Kjaer 6-2 2-6 7-6 (5) in doubles. British No. 3 Jacob Fearnley later wrapped up the 4-0 sweep by beating Budkov Kjaer 3-6 6-3 10-7 in the dead rubber.
Great Britain’s 4-0 victory sends them into the second qualifying round later in the year, where they will face either Australia or Ecuador for a place in the Davis Cup finals in November.