Jack Draper’s comeback at the 2026 Canadian Open ended in heartbreaking fashion, as the Brit exited the ATP Masters 1000 event in tears. Jessica Pegula, who is set to renew her mixed doubles partnership with Draper at the US Open, has shared her thoughts on his struggles after his emotional ordeal.
Jessica Pegula Addresses Jack Draper’s Injury Struggles with US Open Partnership in Jeopardy
Draper has yet to compete in a Grand Slam event this season, suffering another setback ahead of the US Open. The Brit’s persistent injury issues have continued to stall his career over the past two years. In 2025, he played only one match at the US Open after his second-round exit at Wimbledon.
This season, Draper pulled out of the Australian Open while continuing to recover from a bruised bone in his left arm. A knee injury then sidelined him for almost the entire clay-court season.
Although the 24-year-old made a promising comeback by reaching the Eastbourne Open semifinals on grass, he was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after his arm injury flared up again.
Draper was set to kick off his North American hardcourt swing at the Mubadala DC Open, but his lingering arm injury prompted another withdrawal. The Brit finally made his return to the tour at the Canadian Open after receiving a wildcard, taking on Térence Atmane in his opening match.
Although Atmane made a strong start by clinching the first set, Draper fought back to force a decider. However, the Brit was unable to sustain the comeback in the third set, and he even broke down in tears during the changeover after Atmane broke his serve to take a 4-1 lead.
Keep your head up, Jack 🥺❤️#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/b2K0y3en3S
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 4, 2026
Atmane went on to claim a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory, ousting Draper from the tournament. His devastating defeat caught the attention of Jessica Pegula, who had just arrived in Toronto after her runner-up finish at the DC Open.
During her pre-tournament press conference, Pegula opened up about how her relationship with Draper has evolved since their doubles partnership at the US Open last year. She revealed that they went from being relative strangers to regularly checking in on one another.
“But, yeah, Jack, we really didn’t talk. Like you said, we barely knew each other. Literally don’t think we said two words to each other. Not intentionally. I don’t feel like we ran in the same circle, for whatever reason. But now, yeah, I would say we’re friends, and we kind of check in on each other every once in a while,” Pegula said.
The American also sympathized with Draper after his difficult match in Montréal. She highlighted the Brit’s injury struggles while expressing uncertainty about whether their reunion at the New York Major would pan out.
“I know that he’s been really struggling a bit with some injuries, and I saw today he had a really tough day with his match. I mean, I don’t know if we’re going to, we’re supposed to play. Obviously I know he’s not healthy, so we’ll see how that goes,” she added. “Hoping that he can just get healthy and we can see him back out there.”
Jack Draper will now turn his attention to gearing up for the Cincinnati Open, which is set to begin on Aug. 13. Meanwhile, No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula will kick off her Canadian Open campaign against Magdalena Fręch, following a first-round bye.
