Jack Draper makes winning return from injury with straight sets win over Viktor Durasovic in Davis Cup qualifying
Jack Draper makes a winning return against Viktor Durasovic in Davis Cup qualifying; Draper has been out of the sport as he has worked to recover from a complex bone stress injury; watch ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports Tennis, streaming service NOW and Sky Sports app
Thursday 5 February 2026 20:31, UK
British star Jack Draper has made a winning return after being sidelined for a lengthy spell by injury.
Playing for the first time since having to withdraw from the US Open last year, Draper is representing Great Britain against Norway in Davis Cup qualifying.
He beat Viktor Durasovic in straight sets, 6-2 6-2, dominating his opponent and converting his second match point to put Britain ahead in the tie.
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The British No 1 has played just one match since Wimbledon last July, with bone bruising in his left arm curtailing his 2025 season entirely and ruling him out of the Australian Open last month.
The 24-year-old has been dogged by serious injury before, missing six months of the 2023 season due to a shoulder problem that required several operations, but the nature of this latest injury has proven even more difficult to deal with.
To return to action with a victory will be heartening for him.
Afterwards, Draper said: "It's good to get a match under my belt and get a first point for Great Britain.
"It's taken hard work and perseverance. It's been a really difficult time since I've been away from the sport but I've done the hard work no one sees and when I come back hopefully I can play some proper tennis again."
This was the perfect soft relaunch for Draper against a Norway team missing their top player, world No 12 Casper Ruud, an absence the equivalent of taking Erling Haaland out of the national football team.
Ruud's understandable withdrawal - his wife gave birth to their first daughter a few days ago - was only announced 10 minutes before the draw ceremony on Wednesday, once the 2,000-seater Nadderud Arena had sold out.
Nevertheless, there was still the chance for the Norwegian crowd to see the player who rose to four in the world last June and had looked among the most likely to challenge the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner duopoly, until his injury was diagnosed after Wimbledon.
Draper's strengths, his potent left-hand serve and powerful forehand, were compromised by the injury. But, albeit while wearing a protective sleeve, he appeared to be swinging freely here.
It was hard to gauge precisely what Draper's level is against Durasovic, ranked a lowly 313. However, eight aces, just 10 points dropped on serve and a healthy smattering of forehand winners was certainly an encouraging start.
Norrie doubles GB's lead
British No 2 Cameron Norrie, fresh from his run to the third round at the Australian Open, had by far the tougher game against teenager Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a former Wimbledon juniors champion, in the second singles match.
But the 30-year-old ground out a 6-4 6-4 win to put Great Britain 2-0 up going into day two of the first qualifying round tie.
Leon Smith's team can take an unassailable 3-0 lead if Wimbledon doubles champions Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash win the opening match on Friday afternoon.
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