‘So hard to watch’ – Brit star Jack Draper in TEARS during defeat on return to tennis court after weeks away injured

JACK DRAPER sobbed on court as his latest injury comeback ebbed towards defeat. The former world No4 was playing just his sixth tournament since Wimbledon 2025 as he took on Terence Atmane at the Canadian Open. Jack Draper sobbed during a change of ends Credit: X The British tennis star was devastated as he headed towards defeat Credit: Sky Sports Tennis Draper, 24, has suffered with bone bruising in his left arm for more than 12 months. The Londoner was a late withdrawal at Wimbledon earlier this summer and was also forced to pull out at the last minute in Washington last week. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Draper headed to Montreal determined to return to action amid such a frustrating year. A slow start saw him drop the first set 6-3 to Atmane, but the former British No1 looked close to his best as he took the second 6-2 to level the match. But Draper appeared to lose all power in his playing arm at the start of the third and quickly found himself a double break down. At the change of ends with Atmane about to serve at 4-1 in the third, Draper let his emotions out. In a distressing scene, the former US Open semi-finalist wept uncontrollably. Commentating for Sky Sports, former tennis star Annabel Croft said: “This is pretty emotional actually. He’s been bent over and literally erupting with emotion here. Most read in Tennis BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Draper fell to a three-sets defeat to Terence Atmane in Canada Credit: Getty “Very upsetting to see. It just happened as he sat down at the change of ends… you weren’t sure, Adam, if he was about to be sick.” Croft’s colleague Adam Fielder added: “I thought he looked ill initially and then the camera panned around to the side and we just saw him really, really emotional here and it’s just carried on the entire change of ends. “We noticed Annabel, the last 10-15 minutes, he’s just not looked right. One can only imagine that he’s feeling the injury again.” Despite not being able to serve anywhere close to full speed, Draper did manage to hold serve one last time, before falling to a 6-3 2-6 6-2 defeat. The 2025 Indian Wells champion is signed up to play in Cincinnati next week. Draper has also entered the mixed doubles event at the US Open alongside Jessica Pegula later this month, before the singles action gets underway at Flushing Meadows. It remains to be seen whether Draper will be able to take to the court, or if his injury woes are set to sideline him further. Jo Durie, who announced her commentary retirement at Wimbledon earlier this summer, wrote on X: “Oh god Jack Draper in tears at the change over … so hard to watch…he’s tried so hard to get back to full fitness. Exasperating & frustrating for him. Such a shame”. In further brutal news for British tennis, Emma Raducanu withdrew from the US Open on Monday. The 2021 Flushing Meadows champion has been suffering with a stress fracture in her shin, which forced her to pull out of Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament. There have been some British wins in Canada this week. Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley both booked their places in round two with victories over Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Adrian Mannarino respectively – although Britain’s only entrant into the women’s event Katie Boulter was beaten in straight sets by local wildcard Kayla Cross. Cameron Norrie won a late night first round clash Credit: Reuters Katie Boulter lost in round one to a lowly-ranked local wildcard Credit: Getty Comment now