Andy Murray lands new job for Wimbledon as Brit teams up with Jack Draper | Tennis | Sport

Andy Murray will help Jack Draper ahead of Wimbledon, the world No.50 has announced. Draper has slipped down the rankings after struggling to stay fit this year. The British No.2 has played just five events and only won five matches so far this year. He missed the Australian Open because of bone bruising in his serving arm which he sustained at last year’s US Open in August.

Draper eventually returned from five months out this February but a knee problem has since forced him to withdraw from another Grand Slam, the upcoming French Open. It is hoped he will return for the grass-court season which begins next month, but he is likely to be outside the world’s top 100 by then. That would mean the Brit, who was fourth in the world just last year, will be an unseeded wildcard at SW19 and could face a seed in the first or second round.

The 24-year-old has played only once on clay in 2026, in Barcelona, and was forced to retire against Tomas Etcheverry due to a tendon issue in his right knee. The lefty skipped the ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Rome before announcing he would also miss Roland Garros.

Yet there is optimism for the future because he will link up with three-time Grand Slam champion Murray, the only British man in the last 89 years to win the singles title at Wimbledon. A statement from Draper read: “I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months. He is a world-class coach and a great man.

“In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the LTA, with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grass court season.” Murray has not officially been given the title of coach by Draper.

Yet it is Murray’s first role in tennis since parting ways with Novak Djokovic in May of last year. The pair ended their coaching partnership after six months. “Thank you coach Andy for all the hard work, fun and support over last six months, on and off the court. Really enjoyed deepening our friendship together,” Djokovic said.

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While Murray reflected: “Thanks to Novak for the unbelievable opportunity to work together and thanks to his team for all their hard work over the past six months. I wish Novak all the best for the rest of the season.”

Draper, meanwhile, only hired Delgado in October last year. Delgado had worked with Murray when he became the world No.1 and later coached Grigor Dimitrov.

Draper is desperately looking to get back to playing regularly again after a strong 2025. He reached the world’s top four and won the first Masters 1000 event of his career at Indian Wells following his run to the US Open semi-finals in 2024, the same year he also won his first two ATP titles in Vienna and Stuttgart.

On pulling out of the upcoming French Open, he said in April: “My knee is on the mend and I’ve started back hitting balls but unfortunately I have been advised not to play Roland Garros. As gutting as it is to miss another Slam, the advice is not to rush straight back into playing five-set tennis on clay.

“Off the back of the arm injury I sustained last year, I’ve been restricted with my training and by giving myself the time to heal and build, I can be the player I want to be out there once again. See you soon!”