British No 2 Jack Draper will miss the French Open after an aggravated knee‑tendon injury forced him to retire in Barcelona. The 24‑year‑old left‑hander has played only nine matches in five events since returning in February from a lingering left‑arm problem that also kept him out of the Australian Open. His breakout 2023 season delivered a Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells and finals in Doha and Madrid.

Ranked world No 28, Draper faces an inevitable slide out of the top 100 after forfeiting points from his withdrawals in Madrid, Rome and now Roland‑Garros. The ATP confirmed the deduction amounts to 850 ranking points, pushing him well outside the top hundred. Despite the drop, the cut‑off date allows direct entry to Wimbledon, where a first‑round draw could pit him against Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic or Alexander Zverev.

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli and ex‑British No 1 Greg Rusedski both urged Draper to prioritize a measured comeback, warning that rushing could trigger further setbacks. With the grass‑court season looming, the Briton could test his fitness at Stuttgart on June 8 before the Queen’s Club event. His ability to compete at Wimbledon now hinges on a fully healed knee.