Jack Draper celebrates victory over Quentin Halys in Dubai Tennis Championships

British number one Jack Draper said he is ‘proud to be back’ after making a strong return to the ATP Tour with a straight-sets win over France’s Quentin Halys here at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

It was Draper’s first tournament since the US Open last August, where he withdrew due to a left arm injury. The 24-year-old won 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 in his opening match, showing no signs of rust despite being absent from the tour for months.

Draper expressed his excitement and pride at returning to competitive play, relishing the adrenaline of the match after a long break.

“I’ve been craving the feeling of competing for a very long time,” Draper said after the match. “It just felt normal, being out here, competing and feeling the adrenaline of winning and losing points. It’s not been easy, but I’m really proud to be back.”

Draper, who reached a career-high ranking of fourth last year but is now 15th in the world, will face Fabian Marozsan of Hungary or France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the next round.

The left-hander’s recovery was clear in his play, winning 86% of first-serve points and landing 19 of his 24 winners on his previously injured forehand. Draper had last played a competitive match 164 days ago in the Davis Cup qualifiers, beating Norway’s Viktor Durasovic.

It is pertinent to mention that Draper’s strong comeback marks a positive start to what he hopes will be a successful 2026 season.