Jack Draper is closing in on a return to the court after spending time away from the spotlight, working with Andy Murray.
Draper brought Murray into his camp for the grass-court swing, which is now well underway in the 2026 ATP Tour calendar.
The Scot took over after Draper parted ways with Jamie Delgado and has a strong coaching background, including a stint with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
But injury has kept Draper off the court since April’s event in Barcelona, so he’s yet to compete under Murray’s guidance.
The layoff has seen Draper slide down the rankings, but he’s set to make his return at Eastbourne. According to Murray, there’s plenty of reason for optimism despite the long spell out of action.
Jack Draper leaves Andy Murray impressed ahead of Eastbourne return
Murray, speaking to The Telegraph before the ATP 250 event, said: “Jack is supposed to be playing in Eastbourne next week.
“He’s been training and getting ready for that. He’s been on the court most days for the last few weeks. His tennis is bloody good, but he’s obviously had lots of issues the last year with the various injuries, and I feel like he’s starting to come out the other side of that now.”
“The next step is getting on the match court and getting a consistent run of tournaments and weeks under him, and building trust again in his body.”
Murray also shared how much time he has been able to dedicate to Draper and spoke highly of his potential: “So yeah, I get to spend a decent amount of time with Jack. I also believe a lot in his tennis.”
Is Jack Draper a contender at Wimbledon this year?
It’s a much-needed bit of good news for Draper, who hasn’t had many positive updates lately. Once the top-ranked Brit, he’s now down to third among his countrymen and has fallen out of the ATP top 100.
Draper’s drop in form makes sense though. He’s only played nine matches so far this year due to ongoing injury problems, so it hasn’t been easy for him to stay sharp or maintain momentum.
But working with Murray seems to be paying off, and there are signs he’s heading in the right direction again. The partnership should help Draper regain confidence and consistency over time.
The timing is important too, with Wimbledon around the corner. Fans will be hoping he can hit form just in time for the home Slam.
This year’s tournament might come a bit early for him fitness-wise, but there should be no shortage of motivation playing in front of British fans on grass courts.
And having Murray as a guide can’t hurt – few know what it takes to succeed on grass better than him, given his two Wimbledon titles and Olympic gold from London 2012.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
