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Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula react after committing to major 2026 Event

Originally posted on HITC | By Guadalupe Carniel | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Jack Draper will be looking to put a tough, injury-hit 2025 season behind him when he steps back on court in 2026.

The Brit started 2025 in great form: winning Indian Wells, making the Madrid Open final, and climbing to world number four.

But things went downhill after Madrid. Draper picked up a left arm problem that ended up causing him plenty of trouble.

The injury kept him out for the entire North American hard-court stretch. He didn’t return until the US Open.

Draper was forced to retire from his second-round match against Zizou Bergs due to the same issue and ended up missing the rest of the season.

Looking ahead to next year, Draper will aim for a fresh start. The Brit is set to play at the UTS Grand Final in December and has also signed on for another major event in 2026.

Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula to compete at 2026 Queen’s Club Championships

Draper, who reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Queen’s Club Championships, spoke to the LTA about his excitement for a return:

“I’m really looking forward to being back – I played some really good tennis this year and it’s one of my favourite tournaments, being in front of a home crowd, I just love the atmosphere.”

Photo by Wanghe/Getty Images

“I’ve got a picture of me next to the trophy when I’m a kid and I’m just about taller than the trophy so hopefully one day I’ll get to lift it up.”

“Queen’s is one of the tournaments I want to win the most because it’s my home tournament, a beautiful place and making the semi-finals this year, I just came up short, so next year I’ll be really motivated to come back and go a couple of steps further.”

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Draper put together an impressive run at Queen’s in 2025. He took down Jenson Brooksby, Alexei Popyrin, and Brandon Nakashima before losing out in three sets to Jiri Lehecka.

Lehecka went on to face Carlos Alcaraz in that final but was beaten by then world number two.

A year earlier though Draper had beaten Alcaraz 7-6(3) 6-3 at Queen’s.

Pegula will make her debut at The Queen’s Club in 2026. She said: “I’m really looking forward to playing the HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club,” she said via an LTA press release.

“I’ve heard great things from other players about the setup, the atmosphere and the history there so it’ll be fun to experience it for myself.”

Jack Draper’s reaction after beating Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s in 2024

Draper, coming off his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart, snapped Carlos Alcaraz’s 13-match grass-court winning streak with a straight-sets victory in June 2024.

Alcaraz had won both the Queen’s and Wimbledon titles the year before, so Draper’s win was a significant moment.

After the match, Draper spoke about feeling calm and relaxed throughout the contest. As reported by BBC Sport, he said:

“There was such a bee in my bonnet about winning an ATP event. To get the title last week set me free of negative emotions and a lot of the pressure I’ve been putting on myself.”

“Coming to Queen’s for a home tournament, being British number one, you would think would put more stress on my shoulders – but it is the opposite.

“I feel calm and relaxed because I know I’m doing the right things. I trust in my tennis and know I’m going to be tough to beat.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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