Draper ruled out of French Open as knee injury forces clay season shutdown

British number one Jack Draper will miss the remainder of the clay-court campaign, including next month’s French Open, after failing to recover fully from a persistent knee injury, Sport360NG reports. 

The 24-year-old has been battling a tendon problem in his right knee, which forced him to retire during his only clay appearance of the season at the Barcelona Open earlier this month. He subsequently withdrew from consecutive ATP Masters events in Madrid and Rome, raising concerns over his fitness.

Despite initial optimism about a potential return in Paris, Draper confirmed via social media that medical advice has ruled him out of Roland Garros.

“My knee is improving and I’ve started hitting again, but I’ve been advised not to compete at Roland Garros,” Draper said. “It’s disappointing to miss another Grand Slam, but the priority is not to rush back into the demands of five-set matches on clay.”

The latest setback compounds a challenging comeback for Draper, who only recently returned from a long-term arm injury that sidelined him for much of last season. Barcelona marked just his fourth tournament since that layoff.

Currently ranked 28th in the world, Draper is expected to drop significantly in the standings, with a projected fall to around 50th following the Madrid Open. The decline is largely due to his inability to defend ranking points earned from last year’s runner-up finish in Madrid, as well as points from deep runs in Rome and Paris.

Attention now turns to the grass-court season, where Draper is targeting a return. He could feature at the Stuttgart Open in June, an event he won two years ago, before competing at Queen’s Club in London.

However, his disrupted season means he is unlikely to secure a seeded position at Wimbledon, increasing the likelihood of an early clash with a top-ranked opponent.

Draper’s early 2025 form had underlined his potential, highlighted by a maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells and a career-high ranking of fourth in the world. His victory over Novak Djokovic during that run further signalled his emergence as a contender among the sport’s elite, alongside the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Yet recurring fitness issues, including previous problems with his shoulder, hip and arm, continue to hinder his progress, making long-term physical stability his immediate priority.

Elsewhere, fellow Britons are also dealing with injury setbacks. Emma Raducanu has been sidelined by illness and skipped Madrid as she continues her recovery, though she remains on the entry list for the French Open. Meanwhile, Sonay Kartal has been ruled out of the entire clay season due to a back injury.