Jack Draper is preparing to return to competitive action at the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, a tournament that holds a special place in his career. Two years after claiming the first ATP title of his career there, the British player is expected to make his comeback following several weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury that forced him to withdraw from Roland Garros.
Stuttgart : perfect place to kick-start his comeback
Jack Draper could hardly have chosen a more symbolic venue for his return. It was in Stuttgart that the Briton captured the first ATP title of his career in 2024, producing a flawless week that culminated in a final victory over Matteo Berrettini. That breakthrough triumph marked the beginning of a remarkable run that would later see him reach the semi-finals of the US Open and climb into the world’s Top 5 just a few months later.
Since then, however, the 24-year-old’s progress has once again been disrupted by injury. Having already spent much of the second half of the 2025 season sidelined with an arm problem, Draper returned to competition earlier this year determined to build on his new-found status among the world’s elite. The early signs were certainly encouraging. A quarter-final run at Indian Wells, highlighted by a statement victory over Novak Djokovic, suggested the Briton was gradually rediscovering his best tennis after a lengthy spell away from the tour.
But misfortune struck once again. Draper suffered a knee injury during the Barcelona Open in April and was forced to retire against Tomás Martín Etcheverry before subsequently withdrawing from Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. The decision was primarily taken to protect the remainder of his season and, above all, his biggest target of the year: Wimbledon.
That extended absence has inevitably come at a cost. A former world No. 4, Draper has now slipped outside the ATP Top 100 after being unable to defend a significant number of ranking points over recent months. It is a drop that does not accurately reflect his true level, but one that will have a major impact on upcoming tournaments, where he will no longer benefit from the more favourable draws afforded to seeded players.
Grass courts, however, offer the perfect opportunity to rebuild momentum. Runner-up in the Wimbledon boys’ singles event in 2018, winner of his first ATP Tour match against Jannik Sinner at Queen’s in 2021, Eastbourne semi-finalist in 2022 and Stuttgart champion in 2024, Draper has consistently shown that his game is ideally suited to the surface.
His return will attract even greater attention given that he will now be working alongside one of the biggest names in British tennis. Andy Murray has joined Draper’s team for the grass-court season, taking over from Jamie Delgado.
The challenge awaiting Draper in Stuttgart will be far from straightforward. The German tournament is set to feature several members of the world’s Top 20, including Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Alexander Bublik and Flavio Cobolli.
A week later, Draper is also expected to compete at the Queen’s Club Championships, another key event during the British grass-court season.
