British tennis player Jack Draper marked his return to the ATP Tour with a straight-sets victory over Quentin Halys at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The win comes after a six-month absence due to a left arm injury that forced him to withdraw from last year's US Open. Draper, now ranked 15th in the world, expressed pride in his comeback performance.
Jack Draper, the British number one and 2025 Indian Wells champion, defeated France's Quentin Halys 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 23, 2026. This was Draper's first ATP Tour match since withdrawing from the second round of the US Open in August 2025 due to a bone bruising injury in his left arm, which originated during a Wimbledon defeat to Marin Cilic and worsened over the clay-court season.
The 24-year-old had made an earlier competitive return in February, beating Norway's Viktor Durasovic 6-2 6-2 in a Davis Cup tie for Great Britain. Draper skipped the Australian Open in January to ensure full recovery and also withdrew from the Rotterdam tournament earlier this month. Seeded fourth in Dubai, he showcased strong serving with an 86% first-serve win rate and 13 aces, though he converted only one of five break points. The opening set featured a tight tiebreak where Draper saved three set points before prevailing, and he broke Halys in the fourth game of the second set to secure the match in straight sets.
"It feels so good, honestly to be out here, competing in front of people," Draper said post-match. "I've been craving the feeling of competing for a very long time. A lot of people have helped me get back to this position after a lot of down moments in the last eight months." He wore a compression sleeve on his injured arm and noted 19 of his 24 winners came from his forehand side.
Fans reacted positively to Draper's return, praising his victory as a "statement return," though some commented on his new shaved head and attire. One fan remarked, "Tennis missed him. So nice to have him back." Draper, who reached a career-high fourth in June 2025 but slipped to 15th during his absence, will face the winner of Fabian Marozsan and Arthur Rinderknech in the round of 16.
Analysis from observers highlights Draper's patience in managing the injury, which risked developing into a stress fracture. His performance suggests a solid foundation for rebuilding momentum on tour.