The British No. 1 has played just one match since Wimbledon in July, after bone bruising in his left arm curtailed his 2025 season and ruled him out of the Australian Open.

Draper, 24, has faced serious injuries before, missing six months of the 2023 season due to a shoulder problem, but says this latest injury has been even more difficult to manage.

He told Sky Sports: “I've really missed competing. It's been a long time, but I've learned a lot of things. It's been a very difficult injury for me, but it's good to be back here.

"It's one thing staying afloat because we're used to being 100 miles an hour on the road, and then all of that gets taken away from you, the buzz of competing. You're kind of like in a hole and you need to get yourself out of that hole somehow, especially with a long injury. But that's where you've got to stay strong, you've got to keep on going."

Since his shoulder injury, Draper has managed his schedule carefully, reaching the US Open semi-finals in 2024 and claiming his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells in 2025. He reached a career-high world ranking of No. 4 in June last year, but injury forced him to withdraw after the first round of the US Open and miss the ATP Tour Finals.

Draper explained: “When I first got it [latest arm injury], I didn't know much about bone stresses. It's one of those things where it's just your body naturally goes at the right time, and it's just been quite a lot of setbacks, quite a lot of adjusting to the load. It's in my left arm and I have to hit a serve at 135 miles an hour. It's not easy to get it to the point where it's good again.”

Despite the setback, Draper is confident he will return at full strength as he bids to defend his Indian Wells crown next month.

He added: “I feel physically in amazing shape. I’ve had a lot of time to train and make adjustments, and I’m motivated to defend my title at Indian Wells.”