Jack Draper Is the Ultimate Wild Card in Washington UPDATE July 27

UPDATE 7/27/2026: Jack Draper has withdrawn from the Mubadala DC Open.

Jack Draper’s 2026 season has been defined by one frustrating setback after another.

A year removed from establishing himself as one of the ATP Tour’s most dangerous young stars, the former World No. 4 enters Washington needing a healthy week more than almost anyone in the field.

Draper owns an 8-5 record this season, but injuries forced him to miss the year’s first three Grand Slam tournaments, stalling the momentum that once made him a legitimate title threat across multiple surfaces.

Read on for why Jack Draper is the ultimate wild card in Washington.

Jack Draper has Shown Flashes, but No-Sustained Health in 2026

Draper’s semifinal run in Eastbourne before Wimbledon showed he can go deep when healthy, but he was also forced to withdraw from Wimbledon.

If Draper is physically right, his game is perfectly suited for success in Washington. A two-time ATP Tour champion with five career finals, Draper owns titles in Vienna and the 2025 Indian Wells Masters, where he defeated Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune to capture the biggest title of his career.

Hopefully, he makes a deep run and is able to continue on to Toronto and beyond, but so far he’s shown no evidence that he can compete physically week after demanding week.

Jack Draper’s Hard-Court Top 20 Victories

Draper’s ability has never been in question. Before his 25th birthday, he had already compiled 19 hard-court victories over Top 20 opponents, proving he has the weapons to challenge the ATP Tour’s elite when healthy.

• 2022 Canada Masters: Stefanos Tsitsipas (World No. 5)
• 2022 Canada Masters: Gaël Monfils (World No. 20)
• 2022 US Open: Felix Auger-Aliassime (World No. 8)
• 2023 Adelaide: Karen Khachanov (World No. 20)
• 2023 US Open: Hubert Hurkacz (World No. 17)
• 2024 Adelaide: Tommy Paul (World No. 14)
• 2024 Acapulco: Tommy Paul (World No. 14)
• 2024 Cincinnati Masters: Stefanos Tsitsipas (World No. 11)
• 2024 Cincinnati Masters: Felix Auger-Aliassime (World No. 19)
• 2024 US Open: Alex de Minaur (World No. 10)
• 2024 Tokyo: Hubert Hurkacz (World No. 8)
• 2024 Vienna: Lorenzo Musetti (World No. 17)
• 2024 Paris Masters: Taylor Fritz (World No. 6)
• 2025 Indian Wells Masters: Taylor Fritz (World No. 4)
• 2025 Indian Wells Masters: Ben Shelton (World No. 12)
• 2025 Indian Wells Masters: Carlos Alcaraz (World No. 3)
• 2025 Indian Wells Masters Final: Holger Rune (World No. 13)
• 2026 Indian Wells Masters: Francisco Cerúndolo (World No. 20)
• 2026 Indian Wells Masters: Novak Djokovic (World No. 3)

Draper’s success extends to tennis’s biggest stage. He owns a 15-6 career record in hard-court Grand Slam matches, highlighted by a semifinal run at the 2024 US Open and a fourth-round appearance at the 2025 Australian Open.

His ability to produce in best-of-five matches underscores why so many believe he remains one of the ATP Tour’s most dangerous players when healthy.

The numbers reinforce that belief. Draper posted a 1.22 Dominance Rating on hard courts in 2025, well above his career average of 1.15, while his 39% return points won illustrate why he’s capable of taking control of rallies against virtually anyone.

There isn’t a player in the Washington draw Draper can’t beat over three sets. The biggest question isn’t talent. It’s whether his body can finally hold up for an entire week….and beyond.

If it does, Washington could become the tournament that relaunches his season, restores his confidence, and reminds the rest of the ATP Tour why a healthy Jack Draper remains one of the most dangerous players in men’s tennis heading into the US Open.