Jack Draper returned to action at the Canadian Open, but he suffered an emotional first round exit at the hands of Terence Atmane in Montreal.
The British star has endured a wretched time with injuries over the past 12 months, which has resulted in him playing very little throughout the 2026 season.
Draper missed much of the clay court swing and only played the Eastbourne Open on the grass. His North American swing started with him withdrawing from the Washington Open before receiving a wildcard for the Montreal event.
He looked pretty good against Atmane, who defeated him in an entertaining three set contest, but emotions got the best of the British star on court.
Draper looked to be crying during one changeover, which has caused many fans and pundits to worry about the former world No 4.
Following his exit from the Canadian Open, his upcoming doubles partner at the US Open, Jessica Pegula, has spoken about Draper’s unfortunate moment.
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Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference ahead of the Canadian Open in Toronto, the American said: “Last year, playing mixed doubles with Jack definitely helped my preparation.
“Being able to play three matches on Arthur Ashe helps because it’s a bit of a challenge, with a full crowd and a great atmosphere. Just getting out on the court and winning a few matches always gives you a bit of confidence , no matter what.
“You always hope it will help you in the singles matches. Obviously, you could lose in the first round and maybe it won’t do you much good. Last year, after a tough summer where I didn’t get very good results, it definitely helped me a lot and propelled me to have an excellent US Open and a very good Asian tour.
“But yes, Jack and I hardly spoke before; we barely knew each other. I literally don’t think we exchanged two words. It wasn’t intentional. I don’t feel like we moved in the same circles, for whatever reason. But now, I would say we’re friends and we keep in touch from time to time.”
Pegula was well aware of Draper’s issues on court and sent the British star a touching message.
“I know he’s been having some injury problems, and I saw today that he had a really tough day in his match in Montreal,” said the world No 3.
“I don’t know if we’re going to play; we’re supposed to play. Obviously, I know he’s not at his best, so we’ll see how it goes. But yes, I’ve always been a big fan, and it’s been fun watching him play. He’s a really nice guy, so I enjoy playing with him.
“Yes, it was a little strange how our personalities, in a way, didn’t mesh, but at the same time, they did. It was a little odd. So it was fun, and he made a lot of funny comments, so I hope he recovers soon and we can see him back on the court.”
Draper and Pegula played the US Open mixed doubles last year and reached the semi finals, before they were beaten by Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud.
The post Jessica Pegula reacts to Jack Draper’s emotional exit from the Canadian Open appeared first on Tennis365.
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