Jack Draper makes winning return to ATP Tour with Dubai comeback
jack draper marked his return to ATP singles competition with a straight-sets victory over Quentin Halys at the Dubai Tennis Championships, a first tour-level win in 182 days. The result matters because it offers tangible evidence of recovery after a seven-month lay-off for bone bruising in his left arm and sets the British No 1 on course for a second-round meeting with either Fabian Marozsan or Arthur Rinderknech.
Jack Draper’s Dubai debut and match outcome
The 24-year-old won his debut at the Dubai Tennis Championships 7-6 (10-8), 6-3, completing the match in 1 hour and 39 minutes against the 68th-ranked Quentin Halys. Seeded fourth in Dubai, Draper closed out the win after edging a tight first-set tie-break and breaking once in the second set. He remains ranked 15th in the world after slipping from a career-high of fourth in June.
US Open exit, Davis Cup return and the timeline of recovery
Draper had not played a tour singles match since the US Open first round on 25 August, when he beat Federico Agustin Gomez and then withdrew before his scheduled second-round match because of a left arm injury. He returned for Great Britain on 5 February in the Davis Cup qualifiers — his first competitive match in 164 days — beating Norway's Viktor Durasovic in straight sets as his immediate step back into competition before the Dubai event.
Quentin Halys, tiebreak drama and key turning points
The opening set was closely contested: Draper faced a set point while serving at 5-4 and then required the tie-break to settle the set. He overcame an 8-7 deficit in the tie-break by winning three consecutive points and, overall in the first set tie-break, saved two set points. The only break of serve arrived in the fourth game of the second set when Halys hit wide, giving Draper a 3-1 lead that he consolidated to finish the match.
Serve statistics, winners and recovery signs
Several measurable indicators pointed to the success of Draper’s rehabilitation. He finished the match with an 86% win rate on his first serve, conceded just two further points on serve after taking the 3-1 second-set lead, and produced 24 winners, 19 of which came off his previously affected forehand side. Those figures underline a tangible recovery from the bruised bone in his service arm that began to trouble him during the clay-court swing in April and progressively worsened.
Coaching changes, practice routine and a striking new look
Returning after a seven-month lay-off in which he played just one match since Wimbledon, Draper debuted a buzz cut in Dubai — a look that may have been inspired by Carlos Alcaraz's accidental haircut at the US Open. He has been working to rebuild his serve, saying he had been hitting a "sh*tload" of serves during the last eight months and has altered part of his service motion while working with new coach Jamie Delgado. Draper described the experience of competing again as something he had been "craving" and called the comeback a point of pride after a difficult spell.
Context from 2025 season and British performances elsewhere
The win follows a strong start to Draper’s 2025 season when he captured the Indian Wells Masters 1, 000 title and reached the fourth rounds of both the Australian and French Opens. He missed the Australian Open in January to prioritise full recovery but returned for Davis Cup selection on 5 February. Meanwhile, British players Katie Boulter and Cameron Norrie had a mixed bag of results in Mexico at the same time, highlighting the differing fortunes across the national squad.
Opponent ahead: Fabian Marozsan or Arthur Rinderknech
With the victory secured, Draper will face either Hungary's Fabian Marozsan or France's Arthur Rinderknech in the second round in Dubai. The match in Dubai represents his first ATP singles win since the US Open in August and his first tour-level victory after 182 days away from tour-level success, offering a clear next step in his bid to climb back up the rankings after injury.
