The first star announces withdrawal from the 2026 Australian Open

The initial Grand Slam event of 2026 will see the absence of one of the most captivating tennis players globally at present.

The British tennis star Jack Draper has officially confirmed he will not participate in the 2026 Australian Open — the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The 24-year-old player announced his decision via a video posted on social media on December 26, where he candidly discussed his prolonged injury and ongoing recovery process.

"Unfortunately, my team and I have decided not to travel to Australia. This was an extremely tough choice because the Australian Open is a Grand Slam, one of the biggest events in tennis worldwide,"Draper began. According to the British player, he has been struggling with injury for a long time and is currently only in the final stages of recovery.

The world No. 10 emphasized that returning to competition too soon, especially under the demanding 5-set format of Grand Slam tournaments, carries significant risks. "Coming back to play 5-set matches at this point is not a wise decision for me or for my long-term career,"Draper added.

Moreover, the 24-year-old admitted this is the biggest challenge he has ever faced. Nonetheless, he expressed optimism, viewing adversity as motivation to become stronger and more determined on his journey to reach the highest level.

Previously, Draper had to withdraw from the US Open in August due to an arm injury and has not competed in any official tournaments since then, indicating that injury troubles have significantly impacted his progress over the past year.

Before his injury, Draper rose to world No. 4 with numerous notable achievements: reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, finishing runner-up at the Qatar Open and Madrid Open, and notably winning the ATP 1000 Indian Wells titleby defeating Joao Fonseca, Jenson Brooksby, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, and finally Holger Rune on his way to the championship.