Jack Draper is making his comeback to professional tennis after a six-month break, starting with the Davis Cup tie between Great Britain and Norway. Draper, the British number one, has not competed since he withdrew from his US Open match against Zizou Bergs in August. During his time away from the sport, Draper has faced tough personal challenges but remains optimistic about regaining the form that propelled him to win Indian Wells and reach a career-high world ranking of number four in 2025. Despite his injury, he stayed connected to tennis, gathering motivation for his return.
Draper’s Reaction to Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open Triumph
In an interview with the Tennis Weekly Podcast, Draper revealed that his time off left him mostly disconnected from watching tennis, including major tournaments. He admitted that watching parts of Carlos Alcaraz‘s win over Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open was a difficult experience.
It was quite difficult to watch what was going on out there, knowing I was missing out,
Draper said about following the Australian Open, while also complimenting Alcaraz’s talent and achievements.
But, Alcaraz winning, I think he’s a great champion and already a legend of the game. To see him win the career slam was really good to see.
Draper added, highlighting Alcaraz’s rise to becoming a career Grand Slam winner.
When asked if seeing Alcaraz’s success fueled his own ambition, Draper responded affirmatively, explaining that as a competitor, he feels driven by those accomplishments even though it can be painful to watch from the sidelines.
But at the same time it’s good to be able to see what these guys are achieving so that then I can put that fire, that fuel into a positive place and work hard on the practice court, work hard on my career to get to a good position as well.
Draper is scheduled to face Viktor Durasovic of Norway on Thursday, 5 February, marking his first competitive match since the US Open.
Analyzing Draper’s Competitive History Against Carlos Alcaraz
Draper’s own performances against Carlos Alcaraz demonstrate both promise and the challenges ahead. The British player has won two of their six encounters, including a win over Alcaraz at Queen’s Club in 2024 and another on the way to his Indian Wells title in 2025. However, Draper has yet to defeat Alcaraz in a Grand Slam event played over best-of-five sets. Their only major meeting ended with Draper retiring while two sets behind at the Australian Open.
The rivalry also includes an earlier match at Indian Wells in 2023, where Draper retired from the contest against the Spaniard. Overall, Draper remains an aspiring challenger to Alcaraz, regarded as one of the leading figures in the sport along with stars like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
What Draper’s Return Means for His Future in Tennis
Jack Draper’s comeback is a critical moment for British tennis, especially given his rapid ascent before the injury hiatus. His return at the Davis Cup provides an immediate platform to test his fitness, form, and mental resilience against international competition. Facing Viktor Durasovic gives Draper a chance to regain match sharpness as he adjusts to the competitive circuit after months out.
Given his expressed motivation from watching rivals like Carlos Alcaraz achieve historic milestones, Draper’s performance will be closely watched as an indicator of his potential to ascend again in the global rankings. The next matches will reveal whether he can convert his ambition into success, continuing the trajectory that once had experts forecasting major titles and a solid standing among the elite players worldwide.
We got to speak with Jack Draper as he returns to competitive action at the Davis Cup in Oslo! We asked him about Carlos, cold dips and his new serve! pic.twitter.com/k1IcqI3GfU
— Tennis Weekly Podcast (@tennisweeklypod) February 5, 2026
