British tennis player Jack Draper has announced that he will not compete again in the current season, choosing instead to focus on recovery with a view to returning in 2024. The 24-year-old athlete has struggled throughout the year with a persistent arm injury, which has significantly affected his performance and forced him to withdraw from multiple tournaments.

Draper’s arm troubles began to notably impact his game following his breakthrough season last year, when he reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world after winning the Indian Wells Open. Since then, he has been engaged in an ongoing effort to rehabilitate a bone bruise in his upper left arm, including attempts to remodel his serve to lessen the strain on the injury.

Despite his efforts, Draper’s attempts to return to top form this season have been marked by setbacks. After missing the end of 2023, he returned to competition during the Davis Cup in February and showed encouraging signs by reaching the quarter-finals at Indian Wells and the semi-finals at the Eastbourne grass-court tournament, where he was coached by former world No. 1 Andy Murray. However, his progress was halted by a recurrence of the arm injury, which forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon and subsequently miss all four Grand Slam events in 2026.

Last month, Draper entered two tournaments in an effort to qualify for the US Open via wildcard but was eliminated in the first round on both occasions. Following his defeat at the Canada Open, he expressed deep frustration, describing the challenges of recovery as reaching “rock bottom.”

In a statement posted on Instagram, Draper acknowledged the physical and mental toll the injury has taken. He said that while the challenges have fostered personal growth, the fatigue and pain have made continuing difficult. He indicated that he would be taking the remainder of the year to reset and fully heal before aiming to resume competition next season.

Currently ranked No. 155 in the world, Draper’s absence from the tour this year has led to a significant decline from his previous standing. By stepping away from the ongoing Asian segment of the ATP Tour to focus on rehabilitation, he hopes to return stronger and regain his prior form in the coming year.