So far in the Eastbourne Open, Jack Draper, former ATP No. 4, hasn't faced the best the ATP tour has to offer. He has had to battle himself a bit, however. He should be a bit rusty after having to miss events in 2025 and 2026 with various injuries.
The positive part for him is that, after hiring the legendary Andy Murray to be his new coach in May, Draper might understand better how to handle his injuries. Even more, he might be reshaping how he approaches matches with his immense talent. Draper can usually overpower opponents, but he needs a more well-rounded game, too.
He's trying to put his new direction in Eastbourne. He pushed through his first round match relatively easily, and then faced fellow Brit Jack Pinnington Jones. Pinnington Jones didn't give in easily, but he simply isn't capable of having the form of Draper. Not at Draper's best, at least.
Jack Draper defeats fellow Brit Jack Pinnington Jones at the 2026 Eastbourne Open
This was proven by Pinnington Jones' inability to do much with Draper's first serve. If he landed the serve, he was very likely to win the point and dictate the pace of play. He won 39 of 49 points on his first serves and finished with six aces and just one double fault.
Each set was close as Draper works his way back into his best form, and he might not get there before Wimbledon, which begins on June 29. The Brit is at least playing again and not leaving tournaments early. What he needs is simply more time on courts to rebuild his game. He also, obviously, needs to stay healthy.
His first two matches at the Eastbourne Open, in which he defeated Jack Pinnington Jones 7-5, 6-4, have been, in essence, warm-up matches.
His next match will seemingly be much more difficult. In the quarterfinals, he will take on Gabriel Diallo, a huge-serving Canadian. Diallo is just beginning to find his footing on the ATP tour, but he has excellent talent, especially for grass courts like Eastbourne.
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