Laura Robson Offers Insight into Physical Setbacks for Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu Amid 2026 Tour Struggles

Laura Robson discusses Jack Draper’s knee injury and Emma Raducanu’s ongoing viral illness. Learn more about their potential return dates for the 2026 season.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 3:42 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

A New Physical Hurdle for the British Men's Representative

Laura Robson has clarified that Jack Draper’s recent withdrawal from the Madrid and Italian Opens is due to a new knee tendon issue rather than a recurrence of the elbow injury that sidelined him for much of the 2025 season. Speaking with Sky Sports, Robson noted that such setbacks often occur when an athlete compensates for a previous injury during the return to high-intensity competition. Despite the frustration of his recent retirement in Barcelona, Draper is reportedly targeting a return for the French Open, or potentially an ATP 250 event the week prior, to ensure he is not "undercooked" for the demands of best-of-five set matches.

The Perils of Compensation and Physical Readiness

The transition from a stress-related elbow injury back to the professional tour has proven complex for Draper. Robson emphasized that the "match intensity" required to compete week-in and week-out is difficult to replicate in a gym environment. After a successful quarter-final run at Indian Wells—highlighted by a victory over Novak Djokovic—Draper's momentum was halted by the knee discomfort that emerged in Barcelona. The current strategy involves a few weeks of total rest to allow the tendon to heal, with the hope that the 24-year-old can still salvage a meaningful portion of the European clay swing.

Raducanu’s Protracted Battle with Viral Illness

Emma Raducanu’s 2026 campaign has been largely defined by a persistent viral illness that first manifested in February. Although she reached the final of the Transylvania Open as the top seed, her physical condition declined rapidly in subsequent weeks. Robson observed that Raducanu appeared significantly weakened during her retirement in Qatar and her third-round exit in Indian Wells. This lack of physical stability has led to her withdrawal from major events in Miami, Linz, and most recently, the Madrid Open.