{"id":1833214,"date":"2026-03-18T18:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T15:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1833214"},"modified":"2026-03-18T18:00:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T15:00:09","slug":"miami-open-jack-draper-issues-fitness-and-form-update-ahead-of-return-to-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1833214","title":{"rendered":"Miami Open: Jack Draper issues fitness and form update ahead of return to action"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Miami Open: Jack Draper issues fitness and form update ahead of return to action<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/oli-dickson-jefford\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Oli Dickson Jefford                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"18 Mar 2026 6:00 PM\" data-ps-date=\"18 Mar 2026 6:00 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1773856809\"><br \/>\n                            18 Mar 2026 6:00 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img 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            <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Miami Open: Jack Draper issues fitness and form update ahead of return to action\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jack-Draper-1-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Jack Draper during a match.\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                ATP Tour star Jack Draper during a match.                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Jack Draper believes he is on the right track in his recovery from injury despite admitting to feeling \u201cgassed\u201d towards the end of his Indian Wells campaign last week.<\/p>\n<p>World No 26 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/jack-draper\">Draper<\/a> is set to be in action at the Miami Open this coming fortnight, with the 24-year-old looking to continue his return to tour following a six-month injury layoff.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/jack-draper-confirms-injury-blow-withdraws-from-us-open-2025\">The Brit withdrew from the second round of the US Open last summer due to an ongoing left-arm injury<\/a> and did not compete on the ATP Tour again until February 2026, reaching the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.<\/p>\n<h2>Tennis News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/aryna-sabalenka-ridiculous-message-novak-djokovic-20-players-withdraw-miami-open-roundup\">Sabalenka\u2019s \u2018ridiculous\u2019 message, 20 players withdraw, Djokovic warned, Alcaraz to skip events? Miami Open roundup<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/what-is-the-sunshine-double-can-jannik-sinner-aryna-sabalenka-achieve-it\">Miami Open: What is the \u2018Sunshine Double\u2019 and can Jannik Sinner &amp; Aryna Sabalenka achieve it?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Draper then entered Indian Wells as the defending champion and impressed on his way to the quarter-final, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/indian-wells-open-jack-draper-overwhelmed-confession-beating-novak-djokovic\">stunning Novak Djokovic in round four<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/atp-tour\/indian-wells-open-video-what-daniil-medvedev-jack-draper-said-controversial-hindrance-call\">However, he was then beaten by eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the last eight<\/a>, and has fallen outside the top 20 of the ATP Rankings as a result.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a difficult rankings drop, the world No 26 produced a better level of tennis than many were expecting in Indian Wells, with Draper seemingly further ahead in his comeback than most would have predicted.<\/p>\n<p>And, while he is not where he wants to be yet, the former world No 4 is aware of what he needs to continue building on as he looks to surge back towards the top of the men\u2019s game.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.skysports.com\/tennis\/news\/12040\/13521087\/jack-draper-takes-confidence-from-indian-wells-performances-into-miami-open-despite-being-demoted-to-british-no-2\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Sky Sports<\/em><\/a> ahead of the Miami Open, Draper detailed his approach to building his form and fitness back to peak level.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cWhen you\u2019ve had a lot of injuries in the past, you\u2019re able to understand that if you put in good preparation when you\u2019re injured, that anything is possible and you can get back to playing at a really high level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always been pretty good like that, even though it\u2019s probably not the best thing to be. I don\u2019t want to be injured, but those matches have helped me understand how I need to keep on improving and growing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think when you\u2019ve been out injured for a while, it\u2019s not necessarily about the actual injury you had, it\u2019s about getting your body to [be] feeling robust enough.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor instance, last week playing those intense matches, you have to back up those performances and against Daniil, I was completely gassed out of energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you want to win those big events, you have to be able to back it up and keep going.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the physical aspect, but for the tennis aspect, the more matches you play, the more times you can get out there, and understand your game better, the more you are able to do good things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Draper will look to continue to build on his positive momentum in Miami, though the tournament has not always been his happiest hunting ground.<\/p>\n<p>He has a 2-4 record at the tournament, having never made it past round two at the tournament in his four previous appearances.<\/p>\n<p>Draper received a bye into the second round of the Masters 1000 event twelve months ago, but was beaten in his first match by eventual champion Jakub Mensik.<\/p>\n<p>As a seeded player, the Brit again receives a round-one bye this year and will face either Reilly Opelka or Nuno Borges in his first match.<\/p>\n<p>Should Draper prevail, he could face sixth seed Taylor Fritz in the third round, while it is also possible that he could meet world No 1 and top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read Next<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/atp-miami-open-predictions-2026-jannik-sinner-carlos-alcaraz-daniil-medvedev\">ATP Miami Open Predictions: Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev continues resurgence<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"kwizly-quiz kwizly-XmVb8e\" data-nosnippet=\"\" data-quiz-type=\"poll|mpu\"><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miami Open: Jack Draper issues fitness and form update ahead of return to action Oli Dickson Jefford 18 Mar 2026 6:00 PM ATP Tour star Jack Draper during a match. Jack Draper believes he is on the right track in his recovery from injury despite admitting to feeling \u201cgassed\u201d towards the end of his Indian [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1833214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1833214"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833214\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1833214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1833214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1833214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}