Jack Draper's injury-riddled past year has left his ranking too deflated to earn automatic entry into the US Open, meaning the Brit now needs a wildcard from the USTA to avoid the qualifying rounds at Flushing Meadows. Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski has stepped forward as a vocal supporter of that idea, arguing that Draper's track record and star power make him a worthy recipient.
Draper reached the US Open semi-finals in 2024 and climbed as high as No. 4 in the world after capturing the Indian Wells Masters title the following year. But a brutal stretch of injuries derailed his momentum. A knee problem forced him off tour after a promising quarter-final run at Indian Wells in March, and then an arm injury recurrence ended his participation at Wimbledon, despite him reaching the semi-finals of the Eastbourne Open just beforehand.
Now Draper is attempting yet another comeback at the ATP 500 event in Washington, with coach Andy Murray agreeing to extend their partnership beyond its original endpoint after Wimbledon. Rusedski pointed to the Draper-Murray combination as a genuine draw for American audiences, noting that having both players associated with a New York run generates real excitement.
Rusedski was measured in his assessment, saying the wildcard should depend on form. He emphasized that Washington this week will serve as the key indicator. He also reminded listeners that Draper had been widely viewed as a future contender alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic before the injuries struck, and that a healthy Draper remains one of the sport's biggest names.
New USTA chief Craig Tiley will ultimately make the call. TennisDraw users will want to watch Draper's Washington results closely before locking in any US Open bracket predictions.
