Draper overcomes injury doubts to reach Eastbourne quarter-finals
The 24-year-old, who has played just 13 matches in the past 12 months, admits confidence was "below the floor" before his return to competitive action.
British tennis player Jack Draper has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne tournament, defeating fellow Briton Jack Pinnington Jones 7-5 6-4. The 24-year-old’s victory marks a significant step in his return to the tour following a knee injury that has limited his activity over the past year. Draper, who is working under the guidance of new coach Sir Andy Murray, will face Canada’s Gabriel Diallo in the next round.
Prior to the tournament, Draper acknowledged that his recent absence from the court had severely impacted his self-belief. He stated that his confidence levels were "below the floor" just weeks earlier, citing a lack of match fitness and the decision to withdraw from the Queen’s Club event because he was not yet ready. Despite squandering a set point at 5-4 in the first set, Draper recovered to win back-to-back aces and secure the opening set, carrying that momentum into a dominant second set where he did not face a break point.
The win represents Draper’s first competitive appearance in more than two months, following a knee injury sustained at the Barcelona Open in April. This latest setback is part of a series of physical issues that have restricted him to just 13 matches over the past 12 months. Draper reflected on the difficulty of the period, noting that his body had stopped him in his tracks after a strong trajectory the previous year, which included reaching the 2024 US Open semi-finals and a career-high world ranking of fourth.
Alongside Draper, two other British players have progressed to the last eight. Jan Choinski defeated compatriot Felix Gill 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 to reach his first ATP Tour quarter-final. Toby Samuel, entering the draw as a lucky loser, claimed his first ATP Tour-level win with a 6-1 7-6 (9-7) victory over Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante. Samuel’s entry into the main draw came after defending men’s champion Taylor Fritz withdrew to ensure he was fully fit for Wimbledon.
In the women’s draw, second seed Madison Keys advanced with a straight-sets victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while third seed Jelena Ostapenko overcame a first-set deficit to defeat Panna Udvardy. The results at Eastbourne serve as a key indicator of form for players preparing for the upcoming Wimbledon Championships, with Draper now looking to build on his return against Diallo.
