Montreal: Jack Draper suffers injury concern in Canadian Open defeat

By Charlie Bradshaw — 5 August 2026 — 3 min read

Draper’s Return to Action

Jack Draper experienced an emotional defeat at the Canadian Open in Montreal, losing to Terence Atmane in his first match since withdrawing from Wimbledon. The British player was visibly distressed during the match, with concerns arising about a recurrence of a long-term arm injury. Draper was beaten 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 by France’s Atmane.

Playing in only his sixth tournament of the year, Draper’s performance saw an initial struggle, followed by a strong second set. However, his form declined significantly in the deciding set, with a noticeable reduction in the power of his serves and groundstrokes. During a changeover while trailing 4-1 in the final set, Draper was observed crying.

The 24-year-old continued the match, nearly securing a break and holding serve once more before Atmane ultimately claimed victory. The match concluded in an hour and 52 minutes.

Ongoing Injury Concerns

The arm issue that appeared to trouble Draper in Montreal has been a persistent problem. He began suffering from a bone bruise in his left arm around June 2025, a period when he had ascended to a career-high ranking of No. 4. This injury has continued to affect his ability to play consistently.

In 2026, Draper had made runs to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells in March and the semi-finals at Eastbourne in June. Despite these achievements, he has struggled to maintain a consistent presence on the court. His recent withdrawal from Wimbledon and the DC Open in Washington last week underscore the ongoing challenges posed by the injury.

Sir Andy Murray has been part of Draper’s coaching team since May, but the tournament in Montreal was only the second event Draper has been able to participate in since their partnership began. Draper holds a wild card entry for the Cincinnati Open, scheduled for next week. However, his recent defeat and the apparent recurrence of his injury are likely to cast doubt on his participation there, as well as his fitness for the US Open.

Tennis pundit Annabel Croft, who was commentating on the match, described seeing Draper in distress as “very upsetting.” Croft noted the emotional display and speculated that the arm injury was likely the cause, observing a significant drop-off in the pace of his serves and groundstrokes during the match.

Other Tournament News

In other developments at the Canadian Open, fellow British player Jacob Fearnley advanced to the next round. Fearnley defeated Adrian Mannarino 7-6(4), 6-4 and is set to face 13th seed Jakub Mensik. Cameron Norrie also secured a first-round win on Monday and will play 29th seed Ignacio Buse.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open as he continues to recover from a right wrist injury. The world No. 2 has not played competitively since April, when he withdrew from a tournament in Barcelona due to the injury. This issue prevented him from defending his French Open title and from attempting to win Wimbledon for a third time. Alcaraz’s withdrawal from Cincinnati raises questions about his readiness to defend his US Open title, which begins on August 30.

Source: skysports.com