Draper, did not participate in any of the three 2026 Grand Slams, but has been given a wildcard for the National Bank Open in Montreal ahead of a qualification campaign for the US Open after his ranking dropped to world No 147.
With the Brit – who is coahed by Sir Andy Murray – scheduled to play in two tournaments before heading to New York, Draper reassured fans that his recovery process was coming to an end after an injury-strewn year which has seen him only play five tour events in the last eight months.
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“I’ve had obviously an addition of Sir Andy [Murray] coming on to the team which has been a massive benefit for me considering he’s someone who’s been through a lot of struggle in his career,” Draper told Sky Sports News.
“It’s important for people to recognise as well that the injury I have is very complex, it’s very complicated and everyone around me is doing everything we can to help this keep moving along.
“It’s not as simple as rest and heal up and you’ll come back and you’ll be fine.
“Everything outside of tennis I’m doing amazingly well, everything on the court I’m managing really well as well so I’m at a point now where I’m happy that I will come through this period.
“It’s just going to take some time, but I’m doing all the right things, and the people around me are really supporting me.”
Despite dropping 143 rankings over the last year, Draper remained optimistic about his prospects for an imminent full-strength return to the top of tennis:
“I’m in the best place that I’ve been in the last year.
“The process that I’ve been on it’s a real patience game. It’s also just getting the right load, getting the right intensity, having the time to let all the things that I’m doing away from the court and on the court to come together, so I can hopefully get to the point where I do make that breakthrough.
“I am able to really progress and stay on the court and those things and I’m getting closer to that moment and I believe that moment is now.
“That’s why it’s been difficult to go to tournaments and have to maybe pull out the last minute.
“But those are calls that I’m making based on the fact that I’ve got a long career ahead of me and I’ve had to go there to know where I’m at.
“It really has been a perfect storm for me in a lot of ways.
“When I do get out of this storm I’m going to be pushing on to hopefully get to where I want to be and beyond.”
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